📊 What this ranking measures
Rankings are based on academic achievement — the share of students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments (SBAC 2024–25), ranked against other districts in the same state — not on spending, district size, or staffing. See full methodology →
All 15 Rated Districts in Pierce County, WA
Sorted by rating, then state percentile
| County Rank | District | District Office | Rating | State Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | University Place School District | University Place | 10/10 Excellent | 96th |
| #2 | Dieringer School District | Lake Tapps | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #3 | Sumner School District | Sumner | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #4 | Carbonado School District | Carbonado | 10/10 Excellent | 94th |
| #5 | Peninsula School District | Gig Harbor | 10/10 Excellent | 92nd |
| #6 | White River School District | Buckley | 9/10 Excellent | 86th |
| #7 | Steilacoom Historical School District | Steilacoom | 9/10 Excellent | 82nd |
| #8 | Puyallup School District | Puyallup | 8/10 Good | 71st |
| #9 | Bethel School District | Spanaway | 6/10 Average | 53rd |
| #10 | Fife Public Schools | Milton | 6/10 Average | 50th |
| #11 | Eatonville School District | Eatonville | 5/10 Average | 49th |
| #12 | Orting School District | Orting | 5/10 Average | 45th |
| #13 | Tacoma Public Schools | Tacoma | 4/10 Below Average | 39th |
| #14 | Clover Park School District | Lakewood | 3/10 Below Average | 29th |
| #15 | Franklin Pierce School District | Tacoma | 3/10 Below Average | 22nd |
Best School Districts in Pierce County, Washington (2026)
This page lists the 15 public school districts headquartered in Pierce County, Washington that have a SchoolDistrictFinder rating, scored using SBAC 2024–25 state assessment data. The county rank is simply their order here; the state percentile compares each district with every rated district in Washington, which is how the 1–10 rating is set. Ratings are not comparable with districts in other states.
Districts are placed in the county of their NCES directory listing. A district's boundaries can cross county lines, and a home in Pierce County may be served by a district headquartered next door — search your address or zip code to confirm.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best-rated school district in Pierce County, Washington? ▼
Among the 15 rated districts in Pierce County, Washington, the highest-rated is University Place School District (University Place), rated 10/10 (Excellent) and in the 96th percentile of Washington districts on SBAC 2024–25 reading and math proficiency.
How are these rankings calculated? ▼
Each district's rating comes from the share of its students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments (SBAC 2024–25), percentile-ranked against all rated districts in Washington and converted to a 1–10 scale. Full methodology here.