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Public school systems play a crucial role in shaping local economies, influencing everything from property values to workforce development. The economic impact of local public schools extends far beyond education, affecting businesses, government budgets, and community well-being. Below are key ways in which public schools contribute to local economic health.

  1. Boosting Property Values and Municipal Revenue A strong public school system increases demand for housing in the district, driving up property values. Studies consistently show that homes in high-performing school districts command higher prices than comparable homes in weaker districts. Higher property values, in turn, generate more property tax revenue for local governments, which can be reinvested in infrastructure, public safety, and other community services.

    Additionally, businesses are more likely to establish themselves in areas with well-regarded schools, knowing that educated communities attract skilled workers and stable families. This creates a positive feedback loop where better schools lead to economic growth, which then further supports school funding.

  2. Workforce Development and Economic Competitiveness Public schools are the primary source of skilled labor for local industries. By providing foundational education, vocational training, and college preparation, schools ensure that businesses have access to qualified employees. Areas with strong school systems tend to have lower unemployment rates and higher average incomes because educated workers are more productive and adaptable to changing job markets.

    Investments in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs, career and technical education (CTE), and partnerships with local businesses further enhance workforce readiness. Companies often consider school quality when deciding where to locate, as they need a pipeline of talent to sustain operations.

  3. Direct Employment and Local Spending Public schools are among the largest employers in many communities, providing jobs for teachers, administrators, custodians, and support staff. These employees spend their salaries locally, supporting restaurants, retail stores, and service providers. The multiplier effect means that every dollar spent on school payroll circulates through the economy multiple times, stimulating additional business activity.

    Beyond salaries, schools also contribute to local economies through construction projects (e.g., building new facilities or renovating old ones), purchasing supplies from area vendors, and contracting services like transportation and food supply. These expenditures create jobs and generate tax revenue.

  4. Reducing Long-Term Public Costs Quality education correlates with lower crime rates, reduced reliance on social welfare programs, and better public health outcomes. Students who graduate from strong school systems are less likely to require government assistance, engage in criminal activity, or face chronic unemployment. This reduces the burden on taxpayers, who would otherwise fund prisons, healthcare for the uninsured, and social services.

    Early childhood education programs, in particular, have been shown to yield high long-term returns by improving graduation rates and future earnings while decreasing incarceration costs.

  5. Attracting and Retaining Families and Businesses Families with children prioritize school quality when choosing where to live. Communities with reputable schools experience population growth, which sustains local businesses and services. Conversely, declining school performance can lead to outmigration, shrinking the tax base and harming economic vitality.

    Similarly, corporations evaluating relocation opportunities assess school systems to ensure employees will have access to good education for their children. A weak school system can deter investment, while a strong one can attract high-paying jobs and stimulate economic diversification.

Conclusion

The local public school system is not just an educational institution but a cornerstone of economic stability and growth. By enhancing property values, developing a skilled workforce, employing residents, reducing public costs, and attracting businesses, schools create a thriving economic ecosystem. Policymakers and community leaders must recognize that investing in education yields broad economic benefits, making it one of the most impactful ways to ensure long-term prosperity.

The following report contains those school districts that are completely or partially within the county. The school districts are sorted in a left to right order based on the number of students that are estimated to live in the county, although they may actually attend a school outside the county boundary. Except where noted all figures are for the entire disctrict population and not just that portion that are in the county.

Where available, the district's name contains a link to that district's website.
 
Yelm Community Schools
Dieringer School District  
Eatonville School District  
Orting School District  
Steilacoom Historical School District  
Fife Public Schools  
White River School District  
University Place School District  
Franklin Pierce School District  
Peninsula School District  
Sumner School District  
Clover Park School District  
Bethel School District  
Puyallup School District  
Tacoma Public Schools  
Grade Span of Agency
Number of Schools
Total Classroom Teachers
Student/Teachers

    Prekindergarten
    Kindergarten
    Grade 1
    Grade 2
    Grade 3
    Grade 4
    Grade 5
    Grade 6
    Grade 7
    Grade 8
    Grade 9
    Grade 10
    Grade 11
    Grade 12
PK thru 12 Students
Ungraded Students
Adult Education and Other Students
Special Ed IEP Students
Total Students

White
Black
Asian
Hispanic
Native American
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Undefined or Multiple Races

Prekindergarten Teachers
Kindergarten Teachers
Elementary Teachers
Secondary Teachers
Ungraded Class Teachers
Total FTE Teachers

Elementary School Counselors
Secondary School Counselors
School Counselors
Total Counselors

School Administrators
School Administrative Support Staff
Instr. Coord. and Super. to Staff
Student Support Services Staff
Librarians/media specialists
Library/Media Support Staff
School Psychologists
Paraprofessionals/Instructional Aides
Total School Staff

LEA Administrators
LEA Administrative Support Staff
Total LEA Staff

All Other Support Staff
Total Other Staff
PK-12
69
1,604
17.80

1,001
2,118
2,032
2,129
1,997
2,046
2,101
1,945
1,912
2,035
2,189
2,319
2,195
2,253
28,272
0
0
286
28,558

9,770
3,527
2,413
6,500
239
1,050
4,683

11
137
829
627
0
1,604

51
44
0
95

101
125
152
129
37
0
36
286
714

31
45
229

609
609
PK-12
37
1,252
18.49

364
1,460
1,632
1,812
1,628
1,842
1,670
1,721
1,753
1,786
1,884
1,748
1,810
1,795
22,905
0
0
240
23,145

11,029
1,516
1,607
4,565
244
720
3,139

17
119
645
471
0
1,252

21
37
0
58

66
90
81
76
23
0
28
240
523

28
57
166

443
443
PK-12
39
1,149
18.95

623
1,485
1,580
1,560
1,557
1,602
1,602
1,525
1,558
1,580
1,646
1,604
1,724
1,893
21,539
0
0
232
21,771

8,766
1,842
967
4,819
194
1,206
3,695

17
113
568
451
0
1,149

12
27
0
39

85
113
108
74
12
0
10
232
526

22
75
205

364
364
PK-12
33
764
16.22

533
1,133
1,078
1,066
1,049
1,036
925
876
831
822
774
761
729
782
12,395
0
0
1
12,396

3,258
1,619
486
4,390
52
723
1,634

9
70
435
250
0
764

18
17
0
35

55
0
22
37
19
0
10
1
120

19
0
41

0
0
PK-12
15
561
19.26

438
667
723
778
733
769
787
780
767
756
904
962
814
796
10,674
0
0
130
10,804

6,706
240
485
1,873
69
73
1,224

7
46
273
235
0
561

15
18
0
33

34
45
33
42
5
0
11
130
267

21
11
65

185
185
PK-12
17
491
18.66

160
656
653
611
627
719
669
682
713
623
710
708
722
816
9,069
0
0
94
9,163

6,840
66
185
948
29
19
963

8
46
231
206
0
491

13
17
0
30

25
39
29
40
2
0
11
94
210

12
22
64

154
154
PK-12
15
472
15.72

242
457
548
574
530
510
584
517
543
531
543
611
538
568
7,296
0
0
123
7,419

1,963
807
475
2,409
61
480
1,095

7
35
223
207
0
472

14
18
0
32

32
41
44
17
8
0
12
123
232

10
24
78

168
168
PK-12
8
293
19.29

97
380
359
419
393
435
415
453
461
417
475
441
452
409
5,606
0
0
47
5,653

2,524
554
547
938
15
79
936

2
24
142
125
0
293

7
9
0
16

18
20
10
13
2
0
5
47
104

12
16
37

94
94
PK-12
10
230
19.80

148
375
319
310
347
329
345
326
323
311
382
338
323
324
4,500
0
0
53
4,553

3,324
73
75
658
32
23
313

4
21
114
91
0
230

5
6
0
11

16
17
12
11
1
0
5
53
103

8
17
37

95
95
PK-12
7
214
18.52

34
261
285
285
292
319
288
319
348
298
304
269
297
317
3,916
0
0
48
3,964

1,468
273
375
911
32
310
518

3
20
104
87
0
214

4
7
0
11

13
13
11
12
4
0
4
48
94

10
9
30

73
73
PK-12
8
162
18.99

45
172
215
223
220
216
240
257
243
244
237
269
217
241
3,039
0
0
37
3,076

1,388
210
236
659
15
51
479

2
14
80
66
0
162

3
5
0
8

12
12
4
9
0
0
3
37
73

4
12
19

34
34
PK-12
5
146
19.45

61
193
198
237
190
231
199
207
203
214
231
229
210
211
2,814
0
0
26
2,840

1,888
67
63
455
22
37
281

1
13
70
62
0
146

3
4
0
7

9
10
8
7
0
0
2
26
54

4
9
21

60
60
KG-12
7
114
17.70

42
138
140
173
130
141
159
141
164
149
179
161
141
135
1,993
0
0
24
2,017

1,610
13
12
199
10
5
142

3
10
56
45
0
114

2
2
0
4

8
9
6
9
0
0
2
24
51

3
4
13

42
42
PK-08
3
85
17.17

44
120
144
164
142
158
158
161
169
179
0
0
0
0
1,439
0
0
20
1,459

911
56
155
144
5
18
150

2
10
58
15
0
85

3
1
0
4

4
3
6
7
0
0
1
20
34

2
3
11

36
36
PK-12
10
319
18.23

57
444
424
447
427
458
415
432
413
416
450
481
474
400
5,738
0
0
77
5,815

3,508
108
114
1,118
89
105
661

5
31
132
151
0
319

7
10
0
17

16
23
11
11
4
0
8
77
139

13
10
34

123
123


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus

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