Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Fife Heights

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
B−
Schools in Fife Heights · Fife Public Schools

Fife Heights’s public schools outscore 53% of Washington districts

The grade covers the public school district serving Fife Heights, from kindergarten through graduation, on state tests and graduation. Math proficiency in Fife Heights’s districts is 31%, below the Washington average (40%). Each state writes its own tests, so this is the one TownRatings grade compared within Washington, not nationally.

K–12Where will my kid go?

From Washington state tests taken in spring 2022, when 95% of students in the tested grades sat them, and the class of 2023’s four-year graduation rate, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Reading proficiency
47%
▼ 6 pts vs WA 53%
2021–22
Math proficiency
31%
▼ 9 pts vs WA 40%
2021–22
Graduate on time
89%
▲ 5 pts vs WA 84%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$17.8K
▼ 4% vs WA $18.4K
FY2024
Students per teacher
19.0
WA 17.7 · larger classes
Schools in town
0
2,870 students on the public path
In brief

Fife Heights’s schools, in brief

Against towns with similar incomes

Among the 111 Washington towns with household incomes within a quarter of Fife Heights’s, its schools beat 19%, lower than their 53% against all the state’s districts. The grade ↓

Results trail the state

In spring 2022, 47% of tested students were proficient in reading and 31% in math, against 53% and 40% statewide; 95% of students in the tested grades sat the tests. The grade ↓

Graduation

89% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 84% across Washington. Districts ↓

Spending and class size

The district spends $17,782 per student, against $18,444 across Washington (FY2024). Spending doesn’t count toward the grade. Districts ↓

Two elementary schools, then one middle and one high school

Which elementary school depends on the address; from grade 6 the district’s path is Surprise Lake Middle School, then Fife High School. Enrollment is up 25% since 2020–21. See the path ↓

Written from the figures on this page. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023; each school’s own letter uses 2020–21 results.

The School Grade

What’s behind Fife Heights’s grade

C+ Test scoresB+ Graduation

B−: better than 53% of Washington school districts. Graduation is above the Washington average; test scores are below it.

Washington school districts we grade (289)Better than 53%
Lower resultsHigher results
Washington towns with similar household incomes (111)Better than 19%
C+BA fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 1,996 test results and a graduating class of 293 could put Fife Heights anywhere from C+ to B. The tests are from spring 2022, when 95% of Fife Heights’s students in the tested grades sat them (1,989 in math, 2,003 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve Fife Heights, with each school’s own grade.

The path, start to finish
PK–52 elementary schoolsDepends on your addressNo scores
6–7Surprise Lake Middle Schoolin MiltonNo scores
10–12Fife High Schoolin TacomaNo scores

Fife Heights’s public schools are run by Fife Public Schools, which also serves Fife and Milton. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

The district

Spending and class size are shown but don’t count toward the grade. Each district’s own page has every school.

Fife Public SchoolsGrades PK–12 · 7 schools · 3,983 students, up 25% since 2020–21 · 19.0 per teacher (WA 17.7)
$17,782WA $18,444 · FY2024
B−
Test scores · 2021–22

Well below the state in reading

Reading47%
State average 53.4% · 2003 students tested
Math31%
State average 40.1% · 1989 students tested

Fife Heights vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the Washington towns that share Fife Heights’s borders.

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
Fife HeightsB−Fife
FifeB+Fife PK–12 · Puyallup PK–12
TacomaC+Tacoma
MiltonB−Fife

2 of the 3 neighbors share Fife with Fife Heights, so their letters differ mainly through other districts.

Every school in Fife Heights

4 schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Washington’s other public schools (the newest school-level results we have).

Also serving Fife Heightsin other towns
Discovery Primary School
Elementary · Grades PK–2 · Milton
506 students16:1Rate it →
Fife Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Tacoma
866 students17:1Rate it →
Surprise Lake Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–7 · Milton
613 students22:1Rate it →
Fife High School
High · Grades 10–12 · Tacoma
885 students23:1Rate it →

Questions about Fife Heights’s schools

Are Fife Heights’s schools good?

They sit near the middle of Washington: the public schools Fife Heights children attend outscore 53% of Washington’s school districts on tests and graduation, a B− Schools grade. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 19%. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Fife Heights in?

Fife Public Schools, which runs grades PK–12 and enrolls 3,983 students in 7 schools (2024–25).

Where do Fife Heights kids go to high school?

Fife High School in Tacoma, with 885 students.

What is Fife Heights’s graduation rate?

89% of the class of 2023 in Fife Public Schools graduated in four years, against 84% across Washington.

How much does Fife Heights spend per student?

$17,782 in Fife Public Schools (FY2024), against $18,444 across Washington. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What Fife Heights families are saying about school.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Looking for colleges? Colleges near Fife Heights → They have their own page.

School data: state test results (2021–22, with participation) and four-year graduation rates (class of 2023) reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express); each school’s own letter uses its 2020–21 results (EDFacts via the Urban Institute); schools and enrollment from NCES (2024–25; private schools 2023–24); spending from the Census Bureau’s school finance survey (FY2024). The School Grade is our own summary, graded within Washington. Stars are from neighbors.