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#1394 of 2,228 schools in WA

First Creek Middle School

Middle School · Tacoma School District · Tacoma, WA

A Tacoma School District middle school where students score 5 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1801 E. 56th Street, Tacoma, WA 98404

  • Math 12% vs WA 38% (2024)
  • Reading 29% vs WA 49% (2024)
  • 17.6:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.8Excellent40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-0.57 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendStable
Academics3.6Needs Improvement35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency12% (2024 SBA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency29.1% (2024 SBA)
Math vs. State Avg-26.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-18.4 pts
Overall Proficiency21% (2024 SBA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)26% (model expectation from 2024 SBA)
vs. Expected-5.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile17th
Resources & Environment4.0Below Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio17.6:1
District spending per student$19,679
Chronic Absenteeism60.3%

Students at First Creek Middle School score 21% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 26%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 SBA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. WA average.

Math Proficiency12%(2024 SBA)
School
State
38%(2024 SBA)
ELA Proficiency29%(2024 SBA)
School
State
49%(2024 SBA)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 5 points since 2018, to 21% in 2024, across a 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 13 years
2009
Math
16%
ELA
34%
2010
Math
17%
ELA
27%
2011
Math
26%
ELA
41%
2012
Math
31%
ELA
36%
2013
Math
33%
ELA
46%
2014
Math
29%
ELA
33%
2015
Math
31%
ELA
41%
2016
Math
30%
ELA
38%
2017
Math
25%
ELA
35%
2018
Math
17%
ELA
35%
2019
Math
17%
ELA
35%
2022
Math
12%
ELA
30%
2024
Math
12%
ELA
29%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 21% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 34% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 34 test records from WA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

82.2%

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 First Creek Middle 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 35Car-Dependent
  • Bike 66Bikeable
  • 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

$79,562

Median home value

$387,300

Median rent

$1,440/mo

College educated

21.3%

Homeownership

68.4%

Poverty rate

16%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 98404; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

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
Concordia Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition7.1privateK–121.1 mi191Compare →
Concordia Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition5.6privateK–121.1 mi192Compare →
Stewart Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.66–81.4 mi621Compare →
Hunt Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.66–8Not available484Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Tacoma School District

Schools in district
69
Rank in district
#39 of 62
District spending per student
$19,679NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
14.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

First Creek Middle School is listed in Tacoma School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About First Creek Middle School

First Creek Middle School is a public middle school in Tacoma, WA, part of Tacoma School District, serving approximately 562 students in grades 6th-8th with a 17.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.8 out of 10 and ranks #1,394 of 2,228 schools in WA. State assessment records show 21% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 34% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about First Creek Middle School

What grades does First Creek Middle School serve?

First Creek Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend First Creek Middle School?

First Creek Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 562 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at First Creek Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at First Creek Middle School is 17.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does First Creek Middle School rank in WA?

First Creek Middle School ranks #1,394 of 2,228 schools in WA.

What is First Creek Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

First Creek Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.8 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 First Creek Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, First Creek Middle School has 21% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 34% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is First Creek Middle School a charter school?

No, First Creek Middle School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is First Creek Middle School a Title I school?

No, First Creek Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for First Creek Middle School?

82.2% of students at First Creek Middle 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
6th – 8th
Enrollment
562
Student-Teacher Ratio
17.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
32
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Pierce County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
60.3%
Area population (ZIP 98404)
35,829
Area average commute
33.3 min
Area median age
35.4
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 98404; 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

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