Phil Snowdon Elementary

Phil Snowdon Elementary is a public elementary school (PK-5) serving about 525 students in the Cheney School District, located in a community with a significant number of families facing economic need.

Academically, the school performs solidly, with its math (47%) and science (55%) scores notably above the Washington state average. It consistently outperforms other schools in its own district, especially in math where it has a 14-point advantage. A particular strength is its effective support for Hispanic students, where it has historically ranked very high compared to other schools statewide. However, the school faces challenges, as its performance for students in special education has declined significantly in recent years. Compared to nearby schools, Phil Snowdon finds a middle ground: it performs much better than high-poverty schools like Sunset Elementary but doesn't reach the top scores of lower-poverty schools in other districts like Wilson Elementary or Hutton Elementary.

An interesting pattern is that student performance in English Language Arts tends to improve in the upper grades, while math scores decline from 3rd to 5th grade, suggesting an area for potential focus. The school achieves its results with lower per-student spending than many of its neighbors, indicating efficient use of resources. While its statewide ranking has fluctuated over the past decade, it currently sits in the middle of all Washington elementary schools, demonstrating that it is possible to achieve moderate academic success while serving an economically diverse student population.