Public schools in Tumwater, WA
13 open public schools with an address in Tumwater, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
13
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
5,990
13 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
20.5:1
Washington median 16.7:1
Charter schools
0
1 virtual
An overview of Tumwater public schools
The federal directory lists 13 public schools in Tumwater, WA: 4 elementary, 2 middle, 7 high. The 13 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 5,990 students, an average of 461 per school. The largest campus is Tumwater High School (1,117 students), and the largest elementary school is Peter G Schmidt Elementary (606).
Tumwater School District operates the most schools here (11), and 2 regular districts have at least one Tumwater campus, plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 20.5:1, higher than the statewide school median of 16.7:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 1 virtual school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 5 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 2 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 3 of 6 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 36% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Tumwater
Elementary schools in Tumwater
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael T Simmons Elementary Tumwater School District | PK–05 | 457 | 13.1:1 | |
| Peter G Schmidt Elementary Tumwater School District | PK–05 | 606 | 15.1:1 | |
| Tumwater Hill Elementary Tumwater School District | PK–05 | 400 | 16.5:1 | |
| Washington Connections Academy - Mary M. Knight Mary M Knight School District · Virtual | KG–08 | 600 | 23.5:1 |
Middle schools in Tumwater
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Bush Middle School Tumwater School District | 06–08 | 762 | 18.1:1 | |
| Tumwater Middle School Tumwater School District | 06–08 | 665 | 19.6:1 |
High schools in Tumwater
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A G West Black Hills High School Tumwater School District | 09–12 | 753 | 22.6:1 | |
| Cascadia High School Tumwater School District · Alternative School | 08–12 | 134 | 23:1 | |
| ESD 113 Consortium Reengagement Program Capital Region ESD 113 · Alternative School | 11–12 | 344 | — | |
| New Market High School Tumwater School District · Alternative School | 10–12 | 61 | 30.5:1 | |
| New Market Skills Center Tumwater School District · Career and Technical School | 11–12 | 86 | 50.6:1 | |
| Thurs Co Juv Det/Tumwater West E Tumwater School District | 06–12 | 5 | 5:1 | |
| Tumwater High School Tumwater School District | 09–12 | 1,117 | 21.4:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White62.9%
- Hispanic17.3%
- Black2.5%
- Asian3.3%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.9%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.8%
- Multiracial12%
Enrollment-weighted across 13 Tumwater schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (5,990 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Tumwater
How many public schools are in Tumwater, WA?
The current NCES directory lists 13 open public schools with a location address in Tumwater: 4 elementary, 2 middle, 7 high. Together they reported 5,990 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Tumwater?
Schools with an address in Tumwater belong to 3 education agencies, led by Tumwater School District (11 schools), Capital Region ESD 113 (1 school), Mary M Knight School District (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Tumwater?
Tumwater High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Tumwater, with 1,117 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Tumwater?
No school with an address in Tumwater is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in Washington.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Tumwater schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Tumwater public schools is 20.5:1, higher than the Washington school median of 16.7:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Tumwater guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Washington cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Washington cities