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Average

#1080 of 2,228 schools in WA

Top 48% in state

Fife High School

High School · Fife School District · Tacoma, WA

A high school in Tacoma, WA serving grades 10th – 12th.

5616 20th St E, Tacoma, WA 98424

  • Math 25% vs WA 36% (2024)
  • Reading 65% vs WA 56% (2024)
  • 5/5 advanced STEM subjects

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress5.1Average25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-1.88 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics6.5Average25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency24.5% (2024 SBA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency64.7% (2024 SBA)
Math vs. State Avg-7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+3.5 pts
Overall Proficiency45% (2024 SBA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)46% (model expectation from 2024 SBA)
vs. Expected-1.7 pts
Adjusted Percentile49th
College Readiness9.2Excellent30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
AP Participation24.2%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment3.7Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio21.6:1
District spending per student$17,662
Chronic Absenteeism32.6%

Students at Fife High School score 45% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 46%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 SBA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. WA average.

Math Proficiency25%(2024 SBA)
School
State
36%(2024 SBA)
ELA Proficiency65%(2024 SBA)
School
State
56%(2024 SBA)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 18 points since 2018, to 45% in 2024, across a 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 13 years
2009
Math
49%
ELA
81%
2010
Math
71%
ELA
86%
2011
Math
72%
ELA
82%
2012
Math
76%
ELA
83%
2013
Math
72%
ELA
83%
2014
Math
27%
ELA
61%
2015
Math
27%
ELA
89%
2016
Math
34%
ELA
91%
2017
Math
38%
ELA
79%
2018
Math
42%
ELA
83%
2019
Math
42%
ELA
83%
2022
ELA
76%
2024
Math
25%
ELA
65%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 46% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 79% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 29 test records from WA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

48.3%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Fife High School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Seattle map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 61Somewhat Walkable
  • Bike 53Bikeable
  • City Safety: High6,715/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Tacoma), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$93,633

Median home value

$497,400

Median rent

$1,836/mo

College educated

27.8%

Homeownership

49.8%

Poverty rate

10.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 98424; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs4AP courses offered
24.2% participation·State avg: 2.8 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics14sports offered
7 boys'·7 girls'·35 teams (incl. JV)·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM Courses5of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Fife Open DoorsEnrollment path unverifiedNot rated10–120.1 mi19Compare →
Chief Leschi SchoolEnrollment path unverifiedNot ratedK–121.8 mi648Compare →
Faith Baptist Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition7.8PK–103.2 mi34Compare →
Salvation Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition6.3PK–103.2 mi203Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Fife School District

Schools in district
7
Rank in district
#4 of 6
District spending per student
$17,662NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
11.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

Fife High School is listed in Fife School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Fife High School

Fife High School is a public high school in Tacoma, WA, part of Fife School District, serving approximately 864 students in grades 10th-12th with a 21.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.4 out of 10 and ranks #1,080 of 2,228 schools in WA. State assessment records show 46% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 79% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Fife High School

What grades does Fife High School serve?

Fife High School serves students in grades 10th through 12th.

How many students attend Fife High School?

Fife High School has an enrollment of approximately 864 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Fife High School?

The student-teacher ratio at Fife High School is 21.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Fife High School rank in WA?

Fife High School ranks #1,080 of 2,228 schools in WA.

What is Fife High School's MySchoolScout rating?

Fife High School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.4 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Fife High School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Fife High School has 46% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 79% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Fife High School a charter school?

No, Fife High School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Fife High School a Title I school?

No, Fife High School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Fife High School?

48.3% of students at Fife High School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
10th – 12th
Enrollment
864
Student-Teacher Ratio
21.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
40
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Pierce County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
32.6%
Area population (ZIP 98424)
11,871
Area average commute
26.5 min
Area median age
32.1
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 SBA · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 SBA · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 98424; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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