Is Spanaway Lake High School a good school?

Spanaway Lake High School ranks 304 th of 437 Washington high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Spanaway Lake High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,804 students attended Spanaway Lake High School.

What is the racial makeup of Spanaway Lake High School?

Students at Spanaway Lake High School are 28% White, 23% Hispanic, 18% Two or more races, 14% African American, 9% Pacific Islander, 7% Asian.

What schools feed into Spanaway Lake High School?

Spanaway Lake High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Camas Prairie Elementary Elementary : Chester H Thompson Elementary Elementary : Clover Creek Elementary Elementary : Evergreen Elementary Elementary : Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School Elementary : Naches Trail Elementary Elementary : Spanaway Elementary Middle : Cedarcrest Middle School Middle : Spanaway Middle School

Spanaway Lake High School

Summary:

Spanaway Lake High School is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Spanaway, Washington, with a diverse student population of over 1,500 students. While the school is part of the Bethel School District, which is ranked 141 out of 247 districts in the state, Spanaway Lake High School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Washington high schools, with a 1-2 star rating from SchoolDigger.

Spanaway Lake High School faces several key challenges, including lower academic performance, higher dropout rates, and socioeconomic disadvantages among its student population. The school's four-year graduation rate ranges from 81.7% to 89.7%, which is lower than the state average and the graduation rates of nearby high schools like Bethel High School (91.3%) and Gov John Rogers High School (91.9%). Additionally, Spanaway Lake High School has a relatively high dropout rate, ranging from 4.8% to 9.4% in recent years, which is higher than the dropout rates of nearby high schools.

Despite these challenges, Spanaway Lake High School has a diverse student population, with significant representation of minority groups. However, the school's performance on various subgroups suggests that it may not be effectively addressing the unique needs of these diverse student populations. Nonetheless, the school has shown some signs of improvement in recent years, with its statewide ranking and rating gradually increasing from the lowest levels, indicating that there may be opportunities for the school to continue improving its performance with the right strategies and support.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1305 168th Street East
Spanaway, WA 98387-5906

(253) 800-5600

District: Bethel School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
304^th of 437 Washington High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,062

Feeder schools for Spanaway Lake High School:

Elementary:	Camas Prairie Elementary
	Chester H Thompson Elementary
	Clover Creek Elementary
	Evergreen Elementary
	More...
	Katherine G. Johnson Elementary School
	Naches Trail Elementary
	Spanaway Elementary
Middle:	Cedarcrest Middle School
	Spanaway Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 22.4

Number of students: 1,804

Racial breakdown:

White:

28.4%

Hispanic:

23.4%

Two or more races:

18.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 58.1%

See top rated Washington high schools

Compare Spanaway Lake High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Spanaway Lake High School ranks worse than 69.6% of high schools in Washington. It also ranks 2^nd among 4 ranked high schools in the Bethel School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 32.46. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Spanaway Lake High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Spanaway Lake High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (28.4%), Hispanic (23.4%), two or more races (18.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 58.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Spanaway Lake High School is 22.4, which is the 3^rd best among 4 high schools in the Bethel School District. (See more...)

Compare Spanaway Lake High School employs 80.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Spanaway Lake High School is $17,062, which is the 3^rd highest among 4 high schools in the Bethel School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Spanaway Lake High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Spanaway Lake High School 304^th of 437 Washington public high schools. (See Spanaway Lake High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Homeless students:

Female students:

Military Connected students:

Male students:

Asian students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

Pacific Islander students:

White students:

Bethel School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Bethel School District 141^st of 247 Washington school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Spanaway Lake High School

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Rank History for all students at Spanaway Lake High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile
2004	43.32	246^th	390	36.9%
2005	52.97	220^th	394	44.2%
2006	42.12	263^rd	395	33.4%
2007	40.48	281^st	399	29.6%
2008	49.57	240^th	396	39.4%
2009	42.81	264^th	402	34.3%
2010	44.49	262^nd	423	38.1%
2011	32.79	306^th	440	30.5%
2012	37.23	308^th	450	31.6%
2013	36.44	329^th	454	27.5%
2015	60.89	107^th	341	68.6%
2016	49.31	181^st	306	40.8%
2017	39.90	207^th	301	31.2%
2018	41.67	217^th	315	31.1%
2019	31.23	307^th	417	26.4%
2021	32.27	307^th	455	32.5%
2022	23.45	338^th	434	22.1%
2023	27.00	320^th	442	27.6%
2024	32.46	304^th	437	30.4%

See the entire list of Washington High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Spanaway Lake High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile
2019	17.39	146^th	163	10.4%
2021	29.58	147^th	195	24.6%
2022	4.64	178^th	179	0.6%
2023	13.07	156^th	166	6.0%
2024	16.79	145^th	161	9.9%

See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Spanaway Lake High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	30.62	49^th	65	24.6%
2019	72.81	18^th	69	73.9%
2023	43.36	19^th	44	56.8%
2024	31.32	45^th	68	33.8%

See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Spanaway Lake High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile
2019	19.07	121^st	128	5.5%
2021	29.88	151^st	212	28.8%
2022	14.68	124^th	130	4.6%
2023	22.19	96^th	110	12.7%
2024	13.30	108^th	110	1.8%

See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Spanaway Lake High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	41.51	157^th	227	30.8%
2019	38.23	229^th	344	33.4%
2021	44.81	206^th	392	47.4%
2022	33.00	254^th	370	31.4%
2023	31.10	267^th	362	26.2%
2024	40.14	217^th	356	39.0%

See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Spanaway Lake High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile
2019	51.53	20^th	43	53.5%
2021	36.67	29^th	45	35.6%
2024	71.31	4^th	24	83.3%

See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Spanaway Lake High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	38.90	175^th	243	28.0%
2019	36.56	245^th	358	31.6%
2021	32.28	267^th	390	31.5%
2022	19.42	316^th	368	14.1%
2023	30.93	252^nd	357	29.4%
2024	26.75	266^th	347	23.3%

See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Spanaway Lake High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile
2019	15.42	29^th	31	6.5%
2021	57.52	18^th	47	61.7%
2022	18.69	32^nd	38	15.8%
2023	17.54	27^th	31	12.9%
2024	46.51	21^st	34	38.2%

See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Spanaway Lake High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	37.42	181^st	254	28.7%
2019	23.52	288^th	355	18.9%
2021	32.11	281^st	395	28.9%
2022	22.42	290^th	363	20.1%
2023	18.53	300^th	358	16.2%
2024	31.96	250^th	362	30.9%

See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Spanaway Lake High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	34.63	64^th	87	26.4%
2019	29.55	93^rd	121	23.1%
2021	37.76	84^th	136	38.2%
2022	19.11	108^th	124	12.9%
2023	35.02	77^th	118	34.7%
2024	33.17	74^th	113	34.5%

See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Spanaway Lake High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	46.14	27^th	54	50.0%
2019	41.33	46^th	86	46.5%
2021	34.63	76^th	111	31.5%
2022	31.01	62^nd	89	30.3%
2023	14.63	72^nd	78	7.7%
2024	44.39	43^rd	70	38.6%

See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Spanaway Lake High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	61.55	53^rd	156	66.0%
2019	61.28	77^th	241	68.0%
2021	37.90	170^th	278	38.8%
2022	44.85	137^th	261	47.5%
2023	37.93	150^th	249	39.8%
2024	35.53	162^nd	248	34.7%

See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Spanaway Lake High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile
2019	30.94	15^th	18	16.7%
2021	48.03	16^th	33	51.5%
2022	55.00	8^th	17	52.9%
2023	34.10	9^th	9	0.0%
2024	24.76	8^th	8	0.0%

See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Spanaway Lake High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	37.97	167^th	222	24.8%
2019	24.80	316^th	382	17.3%
2021	41.67	234^th	413	43.3%
2022	23.28	329^th	390	15.6%
2023	31.84	277^th	379	26.9%
2024	37.33	256^th	374	31.6%

See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2.5)

50%

Reviews:

by a student
Wednesday, June 6, 2012

This school has a lot of diversity and has many introductions to many different cultures. This school may not have the best academics scores, but the people here are very nice and this school has a safe friendly environment. Also, many students here work hard and really focus on their academics even if they may not be doing the best. This school takes the students academics very seriously and at the same time we have lots of fun here. Furthermore, the teachers here are awesome because they don;t be too strict or too easy. They truly care about their students and have a bond with them. They make sure that we fully understand what we're learning and is always open to any questions asked. I really love how compared to other schools, the people here don't judge you and there is so much diversity that I see lots of people go in groups with completely different ethnicity. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Spanaway Lake High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	760	67	102	29	27	n/a	n/a	0	985
1989	695	82	128	29	24	n/a	n/a	0	958
1990	667	79	130	25	23	n/a	n/a	0	924
1991	637	101	145	31	17	n/a	n/a	0	931
1992	632	112	143	35	15	n/a	n/a	0	937
1993	677	126	139	44	20	n/a	n/a	0	1006
1994	663	142	147	52	17	n/a	n/a	0	1021
1995	716	132	137	56	20	n/a	n/a	0	1061
1996	716	132	137	56	20	n/a	n/a	0	1061
1997	752	139	168	56	19	n/a	n/a	0	1134
1998	827	162	184	63	22	n/a	n/a	0	1258
1999	877	192	199	68	26	n/a	n/a	0	1362
2000	982	224	217	80	30	n/a	n/a	0	1533
2001	979	245	241	81	22	n/a	n/a	0	1568
2002	1010	237	260	92	32	n/a	n/a	0	1631
2003	1010	237	260	92	32	n/a	n/a	0	1631
2004	1025	287	277	124	52	n/a	n/a	0	1765
2005	1036	308	286	132	57	n/a	n/a	0	1819
2006	839	265	228	107	48	n/a	n/a	0	1487
2007	718	238	222	101	45	n/a	n/a	0	1324
2008	650	232	201	134	40	n/a	n/a	0	1257
2009	616	232	196	150	56	n/a	n/a	0	1250
2010	566	206	190	172	28	n/a	n/a	0	1162
2011	605	210	167	161	26	39	12	0	1220
2012	554	201	149	161	25	57	40	0	1187
2013	768	293	195	224	29	76	77	0	1662
2014	773	314	196	242	31	82	101	0	1739
2015	709	314	168	258	26	85	105	0	1665
2016	723	273	153	322	33	91	120	0	1715
2017	672	254	132	298	22	85	124	0	1587
2018	671	251	130	303	26	81	123	0	1585
2019	575	207	114	302	23	91	188	0	1500
2020	537	202	103	338	18	102	217	0	1517
2021	529	208	98	340	19	107	239	0	1540
2022	492	248	109	413	23	135	270	2	1692
2023	529	266	111	453	18	153	283	4	1817
2024	512	248	118	422	17	154	327	6	1804

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Spanaway Lake High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	985	45.0	21.8	0
1989	958	42.0	22.8	n/a
1990	924	42.0	22.0	0
1991	931	45.2	20.5	n/a
1992	937	49.8	18.8	n/a
1993	1006	43.9	22.9	n/a
1994	1021	46.2	22.1	n/a
1995	1061	46.0	23.1	n/a
1996	1061	46.0	23.1	n/a
1997	1134	48.9	23.2	n/a
1998	1258	55.4	22.7	n/a
1999	1362	64.8	21.0	n/a
2000	1533	68.4	22.4	n/a
2001	1568	71.8	21.8	n/a
2002	1631	73.8	22.1	22.7
2003	1631	73.8	22.1	22.7
2004	1765	78.0	22.6	30.7
2005	1819	77.9	23.4	27.2
2006	1487	67.6	22.0	32
2007	1324	59.8	22.1	35.8
2008	1257	57.3	21.9	39.2
2009	1250	57.3	21.8	39.8
2010	1162	59.9	19.4	41.1
2011	1220	52.4	23.2	28.3
2012	1187	50.4	23.5	49.1
2013	1662	70.0	23.7	48.3
2014	1739	n/a	n/a	53.9
2015	1665	73.0	22.8	57.1
2016	1715	69.0	24.8	53.3
2017	1587	72.1	21.9	61.9
2018	1585	69.2	22.8	54.7
2019	1500	71.1	21.0	57.5
2020	1517	71.4	21.2	57.7
2021	1540	71.6	21.4	55.7
2022	1692	73.6	22.9	56.3
2023	1817	76.6	23.7	63.8
2024	1804	80.2	22.4	58.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Spanaway Lake High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	985	45.0	21.8	0
1989	958	42.0	22.8	n/a
1990	924	42.0	22.0	0
1991	931	45.2	20.5	n/a
1992	937	49.8	18.8	n/a
1993	1006	43.9	22.9	n/a
1994	1021	46.2	22.1	n/a
1995	1061	46.0	23.1	n/a
1996	1061	46.0	23.1	n/a
1997	1134	48.9	23.2	n/a
1998	1258	55.4	22.7	n/a
1999	1362	64.8	21.0	n/a
2000	1533	68.4	22.4	n/a
2001	1568	71.8	21.8	n/a
2002	1631	73.8	22.1	22.7
2003	1631	73.8	22.1	22.7
2004	1765	78.0	22.6	30.7
2005	1819	77.9	23.4	27.2
2006	1487	67.6	22.0	32
2007	1324	59.8	22.1	35.8
2008	1257	57.3	21.9	39.2
2009	1250	57.3	21.8	39.8
2010	1162	59.9	19.4	41.1
2011	1220	52.4	23.2	28.3
2012	1187	50.4	23.5	49.1
2013	1662	70.0	23.7	48.3
2014	1739	n/a	n/a	53.9
2015	1665	73.0	22.8	57.1
2016	1715	69.0	24.8	53.3
2017	1587	72.1	21.9	61.9
2018	1585	69.2	22.8	54.7
2019	1500	71.1	21.0	57.5
2020	1517	71.4	21.2	57.7
2021	1540	71.6	21.4	55.7
2022	1692	73.6	22.9	56.3
2023	1817	76.6	23.7	63.8
2024	1804	80.2	22.4	58.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Immunization Rates