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Schools›Washington›Tacoma
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·FRANKLIN PIERCE SCHOOL DISTRICT·NCES 530294001769

GATES Secondary School

4608 128th St E, Tacoma, WA 98446 · (253) 298-4000 · Pierce County
GRADES 10–12HIGH21-SUBURBTITLE IALTERNATIVE EDUCATION SCHOOL104 STUDENTS
Enrollment
104
High
DISTRICT 690 · STATE 573
Student : Teacher
7.7:1
14 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 14.4:1 · STATE 21.6:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
77%
80 students
DISTRICT 70% · 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 10
2
Grade 11
25
Grade 12
77
Student demographics
White
2726%
DISTRICT 26% · STATE 47%
Hispanic
3736%
DISTRICT 34% · STATE 27%
Black
88%
DISTRICT 12% · STATE 5%
Asian
44%
DISTRICT 6% · STATE 9%
Two+
2120%
DISTRICT 15% · STATE 9%
Pacific Islander
77%
DISTRICT 7% · STATE 2%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Male
6361%
Female
4139%

Discussions

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Test scores

Smarter Balanced + WCAS 2022-23 . % Met or Exceeded Standard
English Language Arts
25.0%
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
104
-32 (-24%) vs 2017
Student : Teacher
7.7:1
was 10.5:1
% White
26%
was 33%
% Hispanic
36%
was 20%
% Black
8%
was 14%
% Asian
4%
was 2%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data

About GATES Secondary School

Set in Tacoma, Washington, GATES Secondary School is a minimally staffed senior high, run under Franklin Pierce School District. It enrolls 104 students across grades 10 through 12. That puts it 82% leaner than the typical public school in Washington, which averages around 573 students.

Franklin Pierce School District runs 14 schools in total, collectively educating 7,187 students. GATES Secondary School is one of those campuses.

Looking at the student body, GATES Secondary School logs that 36% of students identify as Hispanic, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. Beyond that, the school shows 26% White, 20% multiracial, 8% Black, 7% Pacific Islander. By comparison, Pierce County as a whole is about 13% Hispanic, so the school skews noticeably more Hispanic than its surroundings.

On the income-and-resources front, GATES Secondary School logs 14 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 7.7:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 21.6:1 average. About 77% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. Set against Pierce County (around 50%), the school's rate is north of typical.

In the area at large, census data for Pierce County shows median household income runs about $99,564, about 31% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 6%. In all, Pierce County runs 287 public schools (combined enrollment of about 138,462 students), of which GATES Secondary School is one.

The closest other public school is Central Avenue Elementary, roughly 1.6 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

GATES Secondary School operates from a residential location.

Five-year trend. GATES Secondary School's enrollment has decreased 24% since 2018, when it stood at 136 (now 104). Hispanic enrollment moved from 20% to 36% across the same window. Class-load math has pulled in: from 10.5:1 in 2018 to 7.7:1 in 2025.

Within the allk12 community for this school, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Members of the school community can share what they know.

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
GATES Secondary School
District
Franklin Pierce School District
Address
4608 128th St E, Tacoma, WA 98446
Phone
(253) 298-4000
County
Pierce County
Level
High
Grade range
10–12
Total enrollment
104
Teachers (FTE)
14
Student–teacher ratio
7.7:1
Free/Reduced lunch
80 (77%)
Locale
21-Suburb: Large
NCES ID
530294001769
Charter school
No
Virtual school
No

Related schools

Other schools in Franklin Pierce School District
Other schools in Tacoma
Nearby schools

Frequently asked questions

About GATES Secondary School
What is the total enrollment at GATES Secondary School?
GATES Secondary School enrolls approximately 104 students in grades 10-12.
What grades does GATES Secondary School serve?
GATES Secondary School serves grades 10-12.
How many teachers does GATES Secondary School have?
GATES Secondary School employs 14 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 7.7:1.
How diverse is GATES Secondary School?
GATES Secondary School reports a student body of 26% White, 36% Hispanic, 8% Black, 4% Asian, 20% Two or more.
What district is GATES Secondary School in?
GATES Secondary School is part of Franklin Pierce School District.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.
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