Carter Lake Elementary School

Carter Lake Elementary School is a mid-sized primary school in JBLM McChord Field, Washington, part of Clover Park School District. The school caters to 420 students in grades pre-K through 5.

Across the 32 schools in Clover Park School District (12,345 students total), Carter Lake Elementary School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Carter Lake Elementary School shows that the largest single group is White at 37%, but no single group is in the majority; the rest reads as 30% Hispanic, 13% multiracial, 12% Black, 4% Asian. By comparison, Pierce County as a whole is about 64% White, so the school skews visibly less White than its surroundings.

Looking at school resources, Carter Lake Elementary School logs 29 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 14.6:1. The state averages around 17.3:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. An estimated 47% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

With demographic context factored in, Carter Lake Elementary School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 48.9% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 50.0%.

Across the wider county, ACS estimates for Pierce County put median household income runs about $99,564, 31% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 6%. In all, Pierce County runs 287 public schools (combined enrollment of about 138,462 students), of which Carter Lake Elementary School is one.

The closest other public school is Tillicum Elementary School, roughly 1.5 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Among the 6 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Carter Lake Elementary School ranks 1st on composite proficiency, above the local average of 30.1%.

The school occupies a commuter-belt site.

Over the past 7-year window. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Carter Lake Elementary School has decreased 13%, going from 482 students in 2018 to 420 in 2025. The White share of enrollment ticked down from 52% to 37% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 20.1:1 in 2018 to 14.6:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Members of the school community can share what they know.