Elementary Schools in Bellingham School District

The Bellingham School District includes 14 public elementary schools serving grades K-5 in a Northwestern Washington community, with academic performance and resources varying significantly across the district.

Parents will find a clear distinction in school performance, with Silver Beach Elementary School standing out as the top academic school, achieving the highest test scores in English and math, while Columbia Elementary School excels particularly in science. In contrast, Cordata Elementary School and Alderwood Elementary School face the greatest academic challenges, with proficiency rates notably below the district average. A strong pattern exists where schools with lower rates of economic disadvantage, like Lowell Elementary School and Wade King Elementary School, generally achieve higher rankings and test scores.

Interestingly, higher spending and smaller class sizes do not automatically lead to better results, as evidenced by Cordata Elementary having the most resources per student but the lowest outcomes. The district shows a particular strength in science education, with most schools performing well above the state average. Performance can also vary widely between grade levels within the same school, as seen at Sunnyland Elementary School and Carl Cozier Elementary School, indicating that a child's experience may differ year to year. Most schools have maintained stable state rankings over the past three years, though Parkview Elementary School has shown a recent decline.