Cedarcrest Middle School

Cedarcrest Middle School, a middle-of-the-pack middle-grades school in Spanaway, Washington, overseen by Bethel School District, educates 765 students, covering grades 6 through 8. Compared to the state average of about 577 students per school, that is 33% above typical.

Across the 39 schools in Bethel School District (21,732 students total), Cedarcrest Middle School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

In terms of who attends, Cedarcrest Middle School reports that 25% of students identify as White, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups; the rest is composed of 23% Hispanic, 22% multiracial, 14% Black, 8% Asian. The wider county runs roughly 64% White, putting the school's mix noticeably less White than the area baseline.

In terms of school funding signals, Staff filings list 35 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 21.8:1 students per teacher. The state averages around 18.9:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. Around 63% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. Set against Pierce County (around 50%), the school's rate is north of typical.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Cedarcrest Middle School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 38.2%; this one delivers 28.2%.

Across the wider county, community-level numbers for Pierce County indicate median household earnings sit near $99,564, roughly 31% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 6% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Cedarcrest Middle School is one of 287 public schools in Pierce County (combined enrollment of about 138,462 students).

Nearest neighbor: Challenger High School, around 1.0 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Cedarcrest Middle School. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Cedarcrest Middle School at 6th of 6; the average score across the group is 45.5%.

Geographically, the school is in a commuter-belt area.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Cedarcrest Middle School has grew 15%, going from 665 students in 2018 to 765 in 2025. The White share of enrollment fell from 39% to 25% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio loosened from 20.5:1 in 2018 to 21.8:1 today.

Inside the community feed, recent activity here tends to focus on science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.