WashingtonSchoolsMorris Ford Middle School

Morris Ford Middle School

PublicRegular
Tacoma, Washington · Franklin Pierce School District
Teachers51.0FTE
Ratio16.1:1students per teacher
Students820enrolled
SCHOOL SNAPSHOT
Students820
Grade Span6–8
Student:Teacher16.1:1
Free/Reduced Lunch68%
Title INo
SectorPublic
Student : Teacher
18.1:1
12%vs prior yrUS avg 15.4:1
Teacher FTE
46
9.8%vs prior yr
Enrollment
831
1.3%vs prior yr
Avg Experience
15
years
Counselors
1:245
29.4%vs prior yrASCA max 1:250
Nurses
NASN max 1:750
Psychologists
1:979
5.9%vs prior yrNASP max 1:500
Social Workers
SSWAA max 1:250
Trends & 5-year history below

Pupil : Teacher Ratio — 5-Year Trend

15.2:115.9:116.6:117.3:118.0:118.7:12020202120222023202418.5:118.2:116.6:116.1:118.1:1This schoolUS public-school avg

Enrollment & Teacher FTE

807844881918955992454749505254202020212022202320249799668828208315353535146EnrollmentTeacher FTE

Year-by-year workforce

Metric20202021202220232024Nat Avg
Enrollment979966882820831
Teacher FTE5353535146
Pupil : Teacher ratio18.5:118.2:116.6:116.1:118.1:115.4:1

Teacher Experience & Qualifications (2024)

Average years of experience14.6 yrs
Novice teachers (< 3 yrs)0%
Hold advanced degree69%
Source: State Department of Education teacher workforce reports.

What These Numbers Mean

Teacher FTE

Full-Time Equivalent counts part-time teachers proportionally. One full-time teacher = 1.0 FTE; two half-time teachers also = 1.0 FTE. This is the standard federal reporting unit.

Pupil : Teacher ratio

NCES-reported ratio divides total enrollment by teacher FTE. It is NOT the same as average class size — schools with specialists, coaches, and resource teachers will show lower ratios than typical class sizes.

How to read the trend

A falling pupil:teacher ratio (line going down) means more staffing per student — generally a positive signal. A rising line can indicate budget pressure or fast enrollment growth outpacing hiring. Always compare to the US average (dashed grey).

Historical data spans 20202024 from NCES CCD.

Student Support & Wellbeing

Non-teaching staff who support student mental health, physical health, and behavioural needs. Lower pupil-to-staff ratios mean more one-on-one access.

Counselors & Social Workers — staff to pupils (recommended 1:250)

1:01:2251:4491:6741:8991:1,123201720201:3471:2451:1,040Counselor : PupilsSocial Worker : PupilsRecommended 1:250

Nurses & Psychologists — staff to pupils

1:01:2251:4491:6741:8991:1,123201720201:1,0401:979Nurse : PupilsNASN 1:750Psychologist : PupilsNASP 1:500

Support staffing & ratios — year by year

Metric20172020Nat Avg
Counselors (FTE)34
Nurses (FTE)
Psychologists (FTE)11
Social Workers (FTE)1
Counselor : Pupils1:3471:2451:250
Nurse : Pupils1:750
Psychologist : Pupils1:1,0401:9791:500
Social Worker : Pupils1:1,0401:250

Why these ratios matter

Counselors (ASCA 250:1)

School counselors support academic planning, college & career readiness, and social-emotional wellbeing. The American School Counselor Association recommends no more than 250 students per counselor.

Nurses (NASN 750:1)

School nurses manage chronic conditions, medications, immunisations, and emergencies. The National Association of School Nurses recommends at least 1 full-time nurse per 750 students (more for high-need populations).

Psychologists (NASP 500:1)

School psychologists assess learning & behavioural needs, run mental-health interventions, and coordinate special-education services. NASP recommends 500:1 or lower.

Social workers (SSWAA 250:1)

School social workers bridge home-school relationships, address attendance & trauma, and connect families to community resources. SSWAA recommends 250:1.

Source: US Dept of Education CRDC (20172020) — Civil Rights Data Collection.