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Needs Improvement

#2079 of 2,228 schools in WA

Morris Ford Middle School

Middle School · Franklin Pierce School District · Tacoma, WA

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

1602 104th Street East, Tacoma, WA 98445

  • Math 23% vs WA 38% (2024)
  • Reading 37% vs WA 49% (2024)
  • 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.1Needs Improvement40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-3.07 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics4.7Below Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency22.6% (2024 SBA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency37.1% (2024 SBA)
Math vs. State Avg-16 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-10.4 pts
Overall Proficiency30% (2024 SBA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)34% (model expectation from 2024 SBA)
vs. Expected-4.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile28th
Resources & Environment5.4Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16.1:1
District spending per student$19,065
Chronic Absenteeism52.7%

Students at Morris Ford Middle School score 30% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 34%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 SBA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. WA average.

Math Proficiency23%(2024 SBA)
School
State
38%(2024 SBA)
ELA Proficiency37%(2024 SBA)
School
State
49%(2024 SBA)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 12 points since 2018, to 30% in 2024, across a 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 13 years
2009
Math
53%
ELA
70%
2010
Math
57%
ELA
71%
2011
Math
68%
ELA
78%
2012
Math
61%
ELA
74%
2013
Math
90%
ELA
90%
2014
Math
42%
ELA
52%
2015
Math
43%
ELA
53%
2016
Math
40%
ELA
54%
2017
Math
34%
ELA
52%
2018
Math
31%
ELA
52%
2019
Math
31%
ELA
52%
2022
Math
24%
ELA
38%
2024
Math
23%
ELA
37%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 42% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 55% (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

68.4%

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 Morris Ford 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 40Car-Dependent
  • Bike 32Somewhat 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.

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
Baker Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.56–82.3 mi647Compare →
Perry G Keithley Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.06–82.3 mi771Compare →
St Mary's AcademyPrivate · tuition6.4privateK–92.6 mi39Compare →
Concordia Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition7.1privateK–123.2 mi191Compare →

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
#13 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

Morris Ford Middle School is listed in Franklin Pierce School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Morris Ford Middle School

Morris Ford Middle School is a public middle school in Tacoma, WA, part of Franklin Pierce School District, serving approximately 820 students in grades 6th-8th with a 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.8 out of 10 and ranks #2,079 of 2,228 schools in WA. State assessment records show 42% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 55% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Morris Ford Middle School

What grades does Morris Ford Middle School serve?

Morris Ford Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Morris Ford Middle School?

Morris Ford Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 820 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Morris Ford Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Morris Ford Middle School is 16.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Morris Ford Middle School rank in WA?

Morris Ford Middle School ranks #2,079 of 2,228 schools in WA.

What is Morris Ford Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Morris Ford Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.8 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 Morris Ford Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Morris Ford Middle School has 42% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 55% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Morris Ford Middle School a charter school?

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

Is Morris Ford Middle School a Title I school?

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

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

68.4% of students at Morris Ford 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
820
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
51
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Pierce County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
52.7%
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.
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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