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Fife School District

1720 Oak St
Milton, WA 98354
(District boundaries shown in map)
5/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Fife School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Washington for:

Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 7 public schools serving 3,916 students in Fife School District. This district's average testing ranking is 4/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public schools in Washington.
Public Schools in Fife School District have an average math proficiency score of 32% (versus the Washington public school average of 41%), and reading proficiency score of 47% (versus the 53% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 63% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the Washington public school average of 52% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (WA)
# Schools
7 Schools
2,562 Schools
# Students
3,916 Students
1,101,913 Students
# Teachers
215 Teachers
62,271 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
18:1
18:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Fife School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 306 school districts in Washington (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 89% has increased from 88% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (WA)
#179 out of 307 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
32%
41%
47%
53%
43%
49%
89%
84%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.78
0.69
% American Indian
1%
1%
% Asian
10%
9%
% Hispanic
23%
26%
% Black
7%
5%
% White
38%
48%
% Hawaiian
8%
2%
% Two or more races
13%
9%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $20,930 is higher than the state median of $18,799. The school district revenue/student has grown by 15% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $31,753 is higher than the state median of $19,250. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (WA)
Total Revenue
$82 MM
$20,715 MM
Spending
$124 MM
$21,212 MM
Revenue / Student
$20,930
$18,799
Spending / Student
$31,753
$19,250

Best Fife School District Public Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Hedden Elementary School
(Math: 54% | Reading: 47%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
11313 8th St E
Puyallup, WA 98372
(253) 517-1500
Gr: 3-5 | 475 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 56%
Rank: #22.
Fife High School
(Math: 26% | Reading: 76%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
5616 20th St E
Tacoma, WA 98424
(253) 517-1100
Gr: 10-12 | 864 students Student-teacher ratio: 21:1 Minority enrollment: 59%
Rank: #33.
Fife Elementary School
(Math: 34% | Reading: 37%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
5804 20th Street E
Tacoma, WA 98424
(253) 517-1400
Gr: K-5 | 816 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 73%
Rank: #44.
Columbia Junior High School
(Math: 24% | Reading: 47%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
2901 54th Avenue E
Tacoma, WA 98424
(253) 517-1600
Gr: 8-9 | 602 students Student-teacher ratio: 20:1 Minority enrollment: 61%
Rank: #55.
Surprise Lake Middle School
(Math: 21% | Reading: 38%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
2001 Milton Way
Milton, WA 98354
(253) 517-1300
Gr: 6-7 | 667 students Student-teacher ratio: 24:1 Minority enrollment: 64%
Rank: n/an/a
1205 19th Avenue
Milton, WA 98354
(253) 517-1200
Gr: PK-2 | 473 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 56%
Rank: n/an/a
Fife Open Doors
Alternative School
5802 20th Street East
Tacoma, WA 98424
(253) 517-1000
Gr: 10-12 | 19 students Minority enrollment: 79%

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools belong to Fife School District?
Fife School District manages 7 public schools serving 3,916 students.
What is the rank of Fife School District?
Fife School District is ranked #194 out of 306 school districts in Washington (bottom 50%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2022-2023 school year. This district ranks in the top 20% of Washington school districts for: Highest graduation rate (Top 20%) and Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
What is the racial composition of students in Fife School District?
38% of Fife School District students are White, 23% of students are Hispanic, 13% of students are Two or more races, 10% of students are Asian, 8% of students are Hawaiian, 7% of students are Black, and 1% of students are American Indian.
What is the student/teacher ratio of Fife School District?
Fife School District has a student/teacher ratio of 18:1, which is equal to the Washington state average of 18:1.
What is Fife School District's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $31,753 is higher than the state median of $19,250. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 7 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 3,916 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 18:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 63%
  • : 89% (Top 20% in WA)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 32% (Btm 50%)
  • : 47% (Btm 50%)
  • : 43% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), WA Dept. of Education

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