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Below Average

#1865 of 2,228 schools in WA

Gray Middle School

Middle School · Tacoma School District · Tacoma, WA

A Tacoma School District middle school where students score 7 points below what's typical for similar communities.

6229 S Tyler St, Tacoma, WA 98409

  • Math 13% vs WA 38% (2024)
  • Reading 23% vs WA 49% (2024)
  • 17.5:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.8Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-1.7 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics3.2Needs Improvement35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency13.3% (2024 SBA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency23.4% (2024 SBA)
Math vs. State Avg-25.3 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-24.1 pts
Overall Proficiency18% (2024 SBA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)25% (model expectation from 2024 SBA)
vs. Expected-7.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile13th
Resources & Environment5.1Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio17.5:1
District spending per student$19,679
Chronic Absenteeism48.7%

Students at Gray Middle School score 18% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 25%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 SBA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. WA average.

Math Proficiency13%(2024 SBA)
School
State
38%(2024 SBA)
ELA Proficiency23%(2024 SBA)
School
State
49%(2024 SBA)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 12 points since 2018, to 18% in 2024, across a 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 13 years
2009
Math
25%
ELA
49%
2010
Math
30%
ELA
48%
2011
Math
36%
ELA
58%
2012
Math
36%
ELA
54%
2013
Math
45%
ELA
57%
2014
Math
32%
ELA
41%
2015
Math
28%
ELA
35%
2016
Math
27%
ELA
36%
2017
Math
28%
ELA
35%
2018
Math
26%
ELA
34%
2019
Math
26%
ELA
34%
2022
Math
14%
ELA
32%
2024
Math
13%
ELA
23%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 25% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 38% (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

82.3%

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 Gray 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 43Car-Dependent
  • Bike 47Somewhat Bikeable
  • 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

$71,649

Median home value

$363,000

Median rent

$1,579/mo

College educated

20.6%

Homeownership

43.5%

Poverty rate

14.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 98409; 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
Sound Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition6.7privatePK–121.2 mi268Compare →
Angelo Giaudrone Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified3.86–81.7 mi430Compare →
Lochburn Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.96–81.7 mi467Compare →
Baker Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.56–82.4 mi647Compare →

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
#55 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

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

About Gray Middle School

Gray Middle School is a public middle school in Tacoma, WA, part of Tacoma School District, serving approximately 526 students in grades 6th-8th with a 17.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.7 out of 10 and ranks #1,865 of 2,228 schools in WA. State assessment records show 25% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Gray Middle School

What grades does Gray Middle School serve?

Gray Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Gray Middle School?

Gray Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 526 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Gray Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Gray Middle School is 17.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Gray Middle School rank in WA?

Gray Middle School ranks #1,865 of 2,228 schools in WA.

What is Gray Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Gray Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.7 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 Gray Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Gray Middle School has 25% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Gray Middle School a charter school?

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

Is Gray Middle School a Title I school?

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

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

82.3% of students at Gray 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
526
Student-Teacher Ratio
17.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
30
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Pierce County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
48.7%
Area population (ZIP 98409)
27,298
Area average commute
28.3 min
Area median age
32.4
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 98409; 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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