Top Rankings
University Place School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Washington for:
Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 10%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 10%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 10%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 20%)
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 5%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 6 public elementary schools serving 3,412 students in University Place School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 10% of public elementary schools in Washington.
Public Elementary Schools in University Place School District have an average math proficiency score of 60% (versus the Washington public elementary school average of 41%), and reading proficiency score of 69% (versus the 51% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 54% of the student body (majority Hispanic and Black), which is more than the Washington public elementary school average of 52% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (WA)
# Schools
8 Schools
1,833 Schools
# Students
5,606 Students
740,174 Students
# Teachers
294 Teachers
44,879 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
19:1
19:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
University Place School District, which is ranked within the top 10% of all 306 school districts in Washington (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 94% has increased from 89% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#18 out of 307 school districts
(Top 10%)
(Top 10%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
56%
40%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
70%
53%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
59%
49%
Graduation Rate
94%
84%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.73
0.69
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
10%
9%
% Hispanic
17%
26%
% Black
10%
5%
% White
45%
48%
% Hawaiian
1%
2%
% Two or more races
17%
9%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $16,354 in this school district is less than the state median of $18,796. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $15,876 is less than the state median of $19,246. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$92 MM
$20,715 MM
Spending
$89 MM
$21,212 MM
Revenue / Student
$16,354
$18,796
Spending / Student
$15,876
$19,246
Best University Place School District Public Elementary Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
University Place Primary
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 70-74%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
2708 W Grandview Dr
Tacoma, WA 98466
(253) 566-5620
Tacoma, WA 98466
(253) 566-5620
Grades: PK-4
| 520 students
Rank: #22.
Narrows View Intermediate
(Math: 64% | Reading: 74%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
7813 44th St W
Tacoma, WA 98466
(253) 566-5630
Tacoma, WA 98466
(253) 566-5630
Grades: 5-7
| 696 students
Rank: #33.
Chambers Elementary School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
9101 56th Ave W
University Place, WA 98467
(253) 566-5650
University Place, WA 98467
(253) 566-5650
Grades: K-4
| 480 students
Rank: #44.
Evergreen Primary
(Math: 60% | Reading: 65%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
7102 40th St W
Tacoma, WA 98466
(253) 566-5680
Tacoma, WA 98466
(253) 566-5680
Grades: PK-4
| 538 students
Rank: #55.
Sunset Primary
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
4523 97th Ave W
Tacoma, WA 98466
(253) 566-5640
Tacoma, WA 98466
(253) 566-5640
Grades: PK-4
| 545 students
Rank: #66.
Drum Intermediate
(Math: 50% | Reading: 70%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
4909 79th Avenue W
University Place, WA 98467
(253) 566-5660
University Place, WA 98467
(253) 566-5660
Grades: 5-7
| 633 students
Recent Articles
Parents’ Guide to Special Education
Special education law is not easy to decipher, with several regulations that govern special education services for disabled students. In this article, learn about the core components of the laws, rights, and individual education plans that can help create the best public school environment for your child.
Surveillance Cameras: Violation of Rights or Improved Security?
A school district in Virginia has given the green light to schools that want to install surveillance cameras in common areas like cafeterias and hallways. We’ll look at whether this is a violation of student privacy or the best way to keep order in schools.
Teachers in 19 States Allowed to Physically Punish Students
As of 2014, nineteen states still allow corporal punishment – spanking and paddling the most common choices – in their public schools. However, some argue that not only are these punishments physically harmful, they also are disproportionately administered to students of color. As a result, House democrats have taken up the issue in a new bill that would ban all forms of corporal punishment nationwide.
