Bethel School District

516 176th St E
Spanaway, WA 98387
(District boundaries shown in map)
6/
10
Top 50%

Top Rankings

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

Category
Attribute
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 7 public high schools serving 7,225 students in Bethel School District. This district's average high testing ranking is 3/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public high schools in Washington.
Public High Schools in Bethel School District have an average math proficiency score of 19% (versus the Washington public high school average of 34%), and reading proficiency score of 56% (versus the 65% statewide average).
Public High School in Bethel School District have a Graduation Rate of 78%, which is less than the Washington average of 84%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Graham Kapowsin High School, with 94% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in Washington or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 59% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the Washington public high school average of 51% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (WA)
# Schools
36 Schools
859 Schools
# Students
21,450 Students
388,551 Students
# Teachers
1,140 Teachers
18,642 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
19:1
19:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Bethel 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 78% has decreased from 88% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (WA)
#150 out of 307 school districts
(Top 50%)
36%
41%
49%
53%
41%
49%
78%
84%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.75
0.68
% American Indian
1%
2%
% Asian
5%
8%
% Hispanic
23%
26%
% Black
8%
5%
% White
40%
49%
% Hawaiian
6%
1%
% Two or more races
17%
9%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $16,276 in this school district is less than the state median of $18,891. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $16,875 is less than the state median of $19,344. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (WA)
Total Revenue
$349 MM
$20,715 MM
Spending
$362 MM
$21,212 MM
Revenue / Student
$16,276
$18,891
Spending / Student
$16,875
$19,344

Best Bethel School District Public High Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Bethel High School
(Math: 26% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
22215 38th Avenue East
Spanaway, WA 98387
(253) 800-7000
Gr: 9-12 | 1,688 students Student-teacher ratio: 22:1 Minority enrollment: 57%
Rank: #22.
Graham Kapowsin High School
(Math: 18% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
22100 108th Ave E
Graham, WA 98338
(253) 800-6100
Gr: 9-12 | 2,087 students Student-teacher ratio: 24:1 Minority enrollment: 55%
Rank: #33.
Acceleration Academy
Alternative School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: 60-79% )
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
16218 Pacific Ave
Spanaway, WA 98387
(253) 267-1045
Gr: 9-12 | 450 students Student-teacher ratio: 56:1 Minority enrollment: 59%
Rank: #44.
Challenger High School
Alternative School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 50-59%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
18117 A Street South
Spanaway, WA 98387
(253) 800-6800
Gr: 7-12 | 318 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 50%
Rank: #55.
Spanaway Lake High School
(Math: 16% | Reading: 51%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
1305 168th Street East
Spanaway, WA 98387
(253) 800-5600
Gr: 9-12 | 1,787 students Student-teacher ratio: 23:1 Minority enrollment: 72%
Rank: n/an/a
Pierce County Skills Center
Vocational School
16117 Canyon Rd E
Puyallup, WA 98375
(253) 800-5950
Gr: 8-12 | 355 students Student-teacher ratio: 24:1 Minority enrollment: 42%
Rank: n/an/a
Transition 18-21 Program
Special Education School
516 176th St E
Spanaway, WA 98387
(253) 800-2300
Gr: 12 | 58 students Minority enrollment: 60%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 36 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 21,450 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 19:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 60%
  • : 78% (Top 50% in WA)
  • : Top 50%
  • : 36% (Top 50%)
  • : 49% (Top 50%)
  • : 41% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), WA Dept. of Education

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