Yelm School District

Summary:

The Yelm School District consists of ten schools serving about 5,300 students from preschool through 12th grade, ranking it in the middle of Washington State districts overall.

Parents will find a mix of performance across the district. Fort Stevens Elementary stands out as the highest-rated school with particularly strong math scores, while Ridgeline Middle School leads among middle schools. In contrast, Yelm Extension School, an alternative high school, has significantly lower graduation rates, and Lackamas Elementary is the lowest-performing elementary school despite receiving the highest funding per student.

The district's two comprehensive secondary schools show different strengths: Yelm High School 12 has a graduation rate near the state average but struggles with math proficiency, while Yelm Middle School trails behind Ridgeline in academic performance. A notable trend is a drop in math scores between 3rd and 5th grade across elementary schools, though Southworth Elementary excels in science instruction.

District Detail

107 1st N.
Yelm, WA 98597-0476

(360) 458-1900

SchoolDigger Rank:
116^th of 247 Washington districts

See the 2025 Washington District rankings!

Grades served: PK, KG-12
Students: 5,671

Primary Schools: 6
Middle Schools: 2
High Schools: 2
Alternative Schools: 0

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Immunizations Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				WCAS Science (2025)				SBAC English Language Arts (2025)								SBAC Math (2025)								% Completely Immunized (2024)	% Polio (2024)	% Measles (2024)	% Mumps (2024)	% Rubella (2024)	% Diphtheria (2024)	% Hepatitis B (2024)	% Varicella (2024)	% Pertussis (2024)	% Tetanus (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	WCAS Science 5th Grade	WCAS Science 8th Grade	WCAS Science 11th Grade	WCAS Science All Grades	SBAC English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 4th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 6th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 7th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 8th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 10th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts All Grades	SBAC Math 3rd Grade	SBAC Math 4th Grade	SBAC Math 5th Grade	SBAC Math 6th Grade	SBAC Math 7th Grade	SBAC Math 8th Grade	SBAC Math 10th Grade	SBAC Math All Grades	% Completely Immunized KG	% Polio KG	% Measles KG	% Mumps KG	% Rubella KG	% Diphtheria KG	% Hepatitis B KG	% Varicella KG	% Pertussis KG	% Tetanus KG	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Yelm Extension School	Public	9-12	107 First Street North	Yelm	98597	Thurston County	Yelm School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 458-6223	116	4	29.0	56.0%	73 (62.9%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (19.0%)	1 (0.9%)	3 (2.6%)	1 (0.9%)	16 (13.8%)	9.2	414^th of 438 public high schools	5.5%		3.3	436^th of 437 public high schools	0.2%	22			26.1	26.1							35.7	35.7																			$11,198	$106	$11,092
Mill Pond Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	909 Mill Road SE	Yelm	98597	Thurston County	Yelm School District	No	No	No	Yes	(360) 458-3400	374	22	17.0	49.2%	227 (60.7%)	7 (1.9%)	64 (17.1%)	16 (4.3%)	4 (1.1%)	9 (2.4%)	47 (12.6%)	47.6	584^th of 1160 public elementary schools	49.7%		66.5	362^nd of 1168 public elementary schools	69.0%	222	57.6			57.6	49.3	39.6	61.0					50.3	47.8	46.2	35.6					43.3	95.7	95.7	95.7	95.7	95.7	95.7	95.7	95.7	95.7	95.7	$18,340	$598	$17,742
McKenna Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	35120 Sr 507 S	McKenna	98558	Pierce County	Yelm School District	No	No	No	Yes	(360) 458-2400	418	23	17.9	49.3%	257 (61.5%)	7 (1.7%)	103 (24.6%)	4 (1.0%)	3 (0.7%)	3 (0.7%)	41 (9.8%)	56.4	480^th of 1160 public elementary schools	58.6%		53.1	516^th of 1168 public elementary schools	55.8%	36	54.2			54.2	56.1	46.3	61.6					54.8	66.7	47.8	35.6					48.7	89.7	91.4	98.3	98.3	98.3	91.4	94.8	93.1	91.4	91.4	$17,017	$536	$16,481
Southworth Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	13849 Yelm Hwy SE	Yelm	98597	Thurston County	Yelm School District	No	No	No	Yes	(360) 458-2500	671	33	20.1	46.5%	372 (55.4%)	26 (3.9%)	143 (21.3%)	28 (4.2%)	15 (2.2%)	13 (1.9%)	74 (11.0%)	40.2	679^th of 1160 public elementary schools	41.5%		43	645^th of 1168 public elementary schools	44.8%	34	58.7			58.7	35.4	37.8	56.4					42.6	48.2	41.5	33.0					41.2	95.3	96.2	98.1	98.1	98.1	95.3	98.1	98.1	95.3	95.3	$16,276	$564	$15,712
Yelm High School 12	Public	9-12	1315 West Yelm Avenue	Yelm	98597	Thurston County	Yelm School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 458-7777	1,693	69	24.6	42.9%	1,000 (59.1%)	40 (2.4%)	341 (20.1%)	35 (2.1%)	32 (1.9%)	30 (1.8%)	201 (11.9%)	46.2	227^th of 438 public high schools	48.2%		45.3	235^th of 437 public high schools	46.2%	8			42.4	42.4							64.5	64.5							30.2	30.2											$17,431	$622	$16,808
Yelm Middle School	Public	6-8	401 Coates Avenue NW	Yelm	98597	Thurston County	Yelm School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 458-3600	652	30	21.8	51.7%	401 (61.5%)	14 (2.1%)	127 (19.5%)	16 (2.5%)	10 (1.5%)	19 (2.9%)	56 (8.6%)	49.4	248^th of 534 public middle schools	53.6%		47.6	262^nd of 535 public middle schools	51.0%	14		43.4		43.4				48.2	51.6	48.2		49.4				37.0	45.5	36.0		39.7											$16,112	$379	$15,733
Yelm Prairie Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	16535 110th Ave. SE	Yelm	98597	Thurston County	Yelm School District	No	No	No	Yes	(360) 458-6261	427	25	17.2	49.9%	276 (64.6%)	5 (1.2%)	98 (23.0%)	3 (0.7%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (9.6%)	51.2	547^th of 1160 public elementary schools	52.8%		46	609^th of 1168 public elementary schools	47.9%	62	46.2			46.2	41.3	63.2	41.6					47.2	58.8	59.7	40.3					52.3	94.8	96.6	96.6	96.6	96.6	96.6	98.3	94.8	96.6	96.6	$18,584	$829	$17,755
Fort Stevens Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	16525 100th Way SE	Yelm	98597	Thurston County	Yelm School District	No	No	No	Yes	(360) 458-4800	462	30	15.3	58.2%	256 (55.4%)	15 (3.2%)	115 (24.9%)	14 (3.0%)	4 (0.9%)	13 (2.8%)	45 (9.7%)	67.6	343^rd of 1160 public elementary schools	70.4%		53.9	507^th of 1168 public elementary schools	56.6%	164	55.7			55.7	58.9	50.7	58.2					56.1	80.6	56.3	53.2					63.1	93.8	95.0	97.5	97.5	97.5	93.8	96.3	97.5	93.8	93.8	$18,506	$1,163	$17,343
Lackamas Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	16240 Bald Hill Rd	Yelm	98597	Thurston County	Yelm School District	No	No	No	Yes	(360) 894-6000	290	17	17.5	52.4%	188 (64.8%)	3 (1.0%)	54 (18.6%)	6 (2.1%)	2 (0.7%)	5 (1.7%)	32 (11.0%)	33.8	769^th of 1160 public elementary schools	33.7%		29.5	828^th of 1168 public elementary schools	29.1%	59	28.0			28.0	44.4	45.7	24.0					38.0	55.6	54.4	24.0					44.7	97.9	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	97.9	100.0	100.0	97.9	97.9	$19,649	$560	$19,089
Ridgeline Middle School	Public	6-8	10605 Carter St SE	Yelm	98597	Thurston County	Yelm School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 458-1100	568	28	20.4	46.8%	358 (63.0%)	7 (1.2%)	105 (18.5%)	7 (1.2%)	4 (0.7%)	6 (1.1%)	80 (14.1%)	56.8	207^th of 534 public middle schools	61.2%		55.7	211^th of 535 public middle schools	60.6%	4		49.2		49.2				45.4	54.7	57.1		52.6				39.2	39.8	48.9		42.7											$18,308	$756	$17,552

Districts nearby

District	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Bethel School District	5.08 mi	36	138^th
Rainier School District	5.51 mi	3	68^th
North Thurston Public Schools	8.99 mi	24	108^th
Wa He Lut Indian School	9.79 mi	1
Clover Park School District	9.81 mi	35	179^th

See the top WA Washington districts

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Washington State Department of Health and the Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.