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#1458 of 2,228 schools in WA

Harvard Elementary

Elementary School · Franklin Pierce School District · Tacoma, WA

A Franklin Pierce School District elementary school where students score 4 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1709 85th Street E, Tacoma, WA 98445

  • Math 23% vs WA 46% (2024)
  • Reading 25% vs WA 50% (2024)
  • 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress4.9Below Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change-1.94 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics4.0Below Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency23.3% (2024 SBA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency25.3% (2024 SBA)
Math vs. State Avg-28.5 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-23.1 pts
Overall Proficiency24% (2024 SBA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)28% (model expectation from 2024 SBA)
vs. Expected-4.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile21th
Resources & Environment9.5Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio12.8:1
District spending per student$19,065
Chronic Absenteeism33.5%

Students at Harvard Elementary score 24% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 28%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 SBA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. WA average.

Math Proficiency23%(2024 SBA)
School
State
46%(2024 SBA)
ELA Proficiency25%(2024 SBA)
School
State
50%(2024 SBA)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 21 points since 2018, to 24% in 2024, across a 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 12 years
2009
Math
47%
ELA
62%
2010
Math
50%
ELA
63%
2011
Math
57%
ELA
67%
2012
Math
57%
ELA
68%
2014
Math
32%
ELA
42%
2015
Math
39%
ELA
48%
2016
Math
46%
ELA
52%
2017
Math
45%
ELA
53%
2018
Math
42%
ELA
49%
2019
Math
42%
ELA
49%
2022
Math
37%
ELA
37%
2024
Math
23%
ELA
25%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 39% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 46% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 32 test records from WA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

77.7%

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 Harvard Elementary 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 36Car-Dependent
  • Bike 37Somewhat 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

$90,063

Median home value

$413,200

Median rent

$1,721/mo

College educated

19.1%

Homeownership

69.7%

Poverty rate

11.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 98445; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Larchmont Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.6PK–51.1 mi296Compare →
Boze Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.0PK–51.2 mi443Compare →
Faith Lutheran SchoolPrivate · tuition5.1privatePK–81.4 mi94Compare →
Midland ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.2K–51.4 mi412Compare →

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.

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

Franklin Pierce School District

Schools in district
15
Rank in district
#5 of 14
District spending per student
$19,065NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
16.4%Census SAIPE · 2024

Harvard Elementary is listed in Franklin Pierce School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Harvard Elementary

Harvard Elementary is a public elementary school in Tacoma, WA, part of Franklin Pierce School District, serving approximately 421 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.6 out of 10 and ranks #1,458 of 2,228 schools in WA. State assessment records show 39% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 46% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Harvard Elementary

What grades does Harvard Elementary serve?

Harvard Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Harvard Elementary?

Harvard Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 421 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Harvard Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Harvard Elementary is 12.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Harvard Elementary rank in WA?

Harvard Elementary ranks #1,458 of 2,228 schools in WA.

What is Harvard Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Harvard Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.6 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 Harvard Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Harvard Elementary has 39% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 46% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Harvard Elementary a charter school?

No, Harvard Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Harvard Elementary a Title I school?

No, Harvard Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Harvard Elementary?

77.7% of students at Harvard Elementary 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
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
421
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
33
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Pierce County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
33.5%
Area population (ZIP 98445)
33,578
Area average commute
32.3 min
Area median age
37
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 98445; this does not measure the attendance area.

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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