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Schools›Washington›Spanaway
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·BETHEL SCHOOL DISTRICT·NCES 530048002200

Challenger High School

18117 A Street South, Spanaway, WA 98387 · (253) 800-6800 · Pierce County
GRADES 07–12HIGH21-SUBURBTITLE IALTERNATIVE EDUCATION SCHOOL318 STUDENTS
Enrollment
318
High
DISTRICT 963 · STATE 573
Student : Teacher
15.9:1
20 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 27.4:1 · STATE 21.6:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
62%
198 students
DISTRICT 59% · STATE 51%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other high schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade
Grade 7
11
Grade 8
34
Grade 9
28
Grade 10
49
Grade 11
77
Grade 12
119
Student demographics
White
49%
DISTRICT 40% · STATE 47%
Hispanic
24%
DISTRICT 23% · STATE 27%
Black
4%
DISTRICT 8% · STATE 5%
Asian
1%
DISTRICT 5% · STATE 9%
Two+
16%
DISTRICT 17% · STATE 9%
Native American
2%
DISTRICT 1% · STATE 1%
Pacific Islander
2%
DISTRICT 6% · STATE 2%
Gender split
Male
41%
Female
58%

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Test scores

Smarter Balanced + WCAS 2024-25 . % Met or Exceeded Standard
English Language Arts
43.9%
own-school result
Math
15.2%
own-school result
State assessment results for this school reflect a specialized student population. The figures above are the school's own reported scores; they are not directly comparable to state averages or to general-enrollment schools, so the usual state-average comparison line is suppressed here.
Source: Smarter Balanced + WCAS. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →

BeatsExpectations

Not computed for this school
BeatsExpectations is not computed for specialized-population schools (schools for the deaf or blind, therapeutic and behavioral-health placements, juvenile-justice and alternative-education settings, and similar). State ELA/Math proficiency rates are not a comparable metric for these populations, so a demographically-adjusted residual against general-enrollment peers would be misleading. About the methodology →

7-year change

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Enrollment
318
+52 (+20%) vs 2017
Student : Teacher
15.9:1
was 16.6:1
% White
49%
was 63%
% Hispanic
24%
was 20%
% Black
4%
was 6%
% Asian
1%
was 2%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data

About Challenger High School

Challenger High School is a secondary school of close-knit scale in Spanaway, Washington, one of the schools within Bethel School District, hosting 318 students in grades 7 through 12. Compared to the state average of about 573 students per school, that is 45% below typical.

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

On demographics, Challenger High School shows that the most-represented group is White (49%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups; the rest breaks down as 24% Hispanic, 16% multiracial, 4% Black, 2% Pacific Islander. That is considerably less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 64%.

Looking at the economic backdrop, The school lists 20 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 15.9:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 21.6:1 average. About 62% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. Set against Pierce County (around 50%), the school's rate is meaningfully above typical.

Around the school, ACS estimates for Pierce County put median household earnings sit near $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 Challenger High School is one.

Camas Prairie Elementary is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.3 miles from this campus. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Challenger High School.

Challenger High School operates from an outer-ring location.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Challenger High School has increased 20%, going from 266 students in 2018 to 318 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 63% to 49% across the same window.

On this page, the feed for Challenger High School typically covers science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.

Pierce County at a glance

View full county profile
Population
930,319
Census ACS
Median income
$99,564
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
31%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
6%
Below federal line
Schools in county
287
138,462 students

Quick facts

School name
Challenger High School
District
Bethel School District
Address
18117 A Street South, Spanaway, WA 98387
Phone
(253) 800-6800
County
Pierce County
Level
High
Grade range
07–12
Total enrollment
318
Teachers (FTE)
20
Student–teacher ratio
15.9:1
Free/Reduced lunch
198 (62%)
Locale
21-Suburb: Large
NCES ID
530048002200
Charter school
No
Virtual school
No

Related schools

Other schools in Bethel School District
Other schools in Spanaway
Nearby schools

Frequently asked questions

About Challenger High School
How many students attend Challenger High School?
Challenger High School enrolls approximately 318 students in grades 07-12.
Is Challenger High School an elementary, middle, or high school?
Challenger High School is a high school covering grades 07-12.
How many teachers does Challenger High School have?
Challenger High School employs 20 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 15.9:1.
What is the student diversity at Challenger High School?
Student demographics at Challenger High School are roughly 49% White, 24% Hispanic, 4% Black, 1% Asian, 16% Two or more.
Is Challenger High School public or private?
Challenger High School is a public K-12 school, overseen by Bethel School District.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.
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