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Nautilus K-8 School

Public Grades K-8
379th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 1,138 Washington Elementary Schools
Better than 67% of Washington elementary schools
Summary

Nautilus K-8 School is a 469-student public school in Federal Way, Washington, serving kindergarten through eighth grade in the Federal Way School District. Nautilus stands out locally for its academic results and its longer K–8 span, since most nearby comparison schools serve only elementary grades. In 2025–26, it ranked 379th of 1,138 Washington schools, around the 67th percentile, and earned a three-star rating. The school’s 66.31% free- or reduced-price lunch rate reflects a community with substantial economic need, while its 16.4 student-teacher ratio is typical for the area.

Nautilus had the strongest nearby all-grade results in English language arts and math: 59.16% of students were proficient in ELA and 52.49% in math. Those rates were 9.95 and 6.09 percentage points higher, respectively, than the next-best nearby results at Camelot Elementary School. Nautilus also led nearby schools in most tested grades, including all reported math grades, and its middle-school results were especially notable: 58.82% proficiency in eighth-grade ELA and math. Science was a close local contest rather than a clear Nautilus lead; its 51.95% rate was just below Valhalla Elementary School at 52.70%. Compared with district averages, Nautilus was ahead by 20.83 points in ELA, 25.38 in math, and 19.53 in science.

Recent improvement is one of the school’s biggest strengths. From 2023–24 to 2025–26, proficiency increased 16.94 points in ELA, 14.20 in math, and 8.77 in science, while the school’s ranking rose from about the 32nd percentile to the 67th. Results also show strong effectiveness for several student groups, including English Language Learners and students from low-income households. Parents may want to watch whether these gains continue, along with fifth-grade math and science, where results were less consistent. Overall, Nautilus is the clear academic leader among the nearby schools provided and performs well despite relatively modest reported per-student spending.

469
Students ?
16.4
Student/teacher ratio ?
$17,915
Per pupil spending ?
66.3%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 1000 S 289th St
       Federal Way, WA  98003-8256

(253) 945-3400

District: Federal Way School District


Students who attend Nautilus K-8 School usually attend:

Middle:    Sacajawea Middle School
High:    Federal Way High School
Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
33.0%
White:
23.9%
Two or more races:
15.6%
more
 See top rated Washington elementary schools

 Compare Nautilus K-8 School to nearby elementary schools!
At a glance
▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 32nd percentile in 2016 → 67th in 2026
Strengths
✓Test scores above the Washington average (55% vs 48% meeting standards)
✓Ranking is trending up — up 35 percentile points since 2016
✓Among the top-ranked schools in Federal Way School District
Worth a look
!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing
Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?
This school55%
District avg33%
Washington avg48%
Elementary school
379th of 1,138
Washington public elementary schools ?
Top 33%▲ up 34 pts since 2016
From bottom 32% (2016) to top 33% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Washington Elementary Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
Middle school
103rd of 514
Washington public middle schools ?
Top 20%▲ up 38 pts since 2016
From bottom 42% (2016) to top 20% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Washington Middle Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
1st of 23Elementary Schools in the Federal Way School District
183rd of 238Federal Way School District among Washington districts
Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)
Elementary school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202664.2379 of 113866.7%★★★☆☆
202540.9666 of 116042.6%★★☆☆☆
202432.1794 of 116832.0%★★☆☆☆
202347.8582 of 116950.2%★★★☆☆
202249.6572 of 116951.1%★★★☆☆
202136.7669 of 110739.6%★★☆☆☆
201940.7685 of 113039.4%★★☆☆☆
201840.1636 of 105439.7%★★☆☆☆
201743.5614 of 105641.9%★★☆☆☆
201635.1712 of 105332.4%★★☆☆☆
201546.4587 of 106745.0%★★☆☆☆
201346.7643 of 110641.9%★★☆☆☆
201255.1513 of 109753.2%★★★☆☆
201149.5569 of 109247.9%★★☆☆☆
201039.9698 of 108835.8%★★☆☆☆
200944.2641 of 107240.2%★★☆☆☆
200865.9349 of 106767.3%★★★☆☆
200757.2461 of 106956.9%★★★☆☆
200665.1338 of 105167.8%★★★☆☆
200560.5406 of 103160.6%★★★☆☆
200469.8266 of 102674.1%★★★★☆

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202483.66 of 7191.5%★★★★★

Asian

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202265.179 of 18757.8%★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202676.444 of 32686.5%★★★★☆
202535.5189 of 30337.6%★★☆☆☆
202331.3169 of 25433.5%★★☆☆☆
202245.597 of 21354.5%★★★☆☆
201953.576 of 24869.4%★★★☆☆
201828.6276 of 33317.1%★☆☆☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202661.6365 of 102064.2%★★★☆☆
202549.1526 of 109251.8%★★★☆☆
202440.4642 of 109341.3%★★☆☆☆
202343.5604 of 109444.8%★★☆☆☆
202248.5538 of 110051.1%★★★☆☆
202142.6543 of 100846.1%★★☆☆☆
201944.3634 of 106840.6%★★☆☆☆
201844.2589 of 100441.3%★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202665.8159 of 64975.5%★★★★☆
202538.1419 of 65936.4%★★☆☆☆
202428.4493 of 65124.3%★☆☆☆☆
202347.0339 of 63346.4%★★☆☆☆
202253.7260 of 69462.5%★★★☆☆
201937.5453 of 69735.0%★★☆☆☆
201833.7376 of 54030.4%★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202676.3149 of 100885.2%★★★★☆
202558.0396 of 101360.9%★★★☆☆
202438.8659 of 102435.6%★★☆☆☆
202357.6383 of 101362.2%★★★☆☆
202255.5393 of 101961.4%★★★☆☆
202133.4594 of 85430.4%★★☆☆☆
201940.7618 of 97936.9%★★☆☆☆
201830.9638 of 83523.6%★☆☆☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202668.3303 of 105971.4%★★★★☆
202533.2737 of 109832.9%★★☆☆☆
202425.3838 of 109923.7%★☆☆☆☆
202342.2616 of 109943.9%★★☆☆☆
202249.6526 of 111352.7%★★★☆☆
202132.6674 of 102534.2%★★☆☆☆
201938.2693 of 107535.5%★★☆☆☆
201838.6627 of 99937.2%★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202548.5105 of 19746.7%★★☆☆☆
202440.7120 of 18836.2%★★☆☆☆
202334.4138 of 19428.9%★☆☆☆☆
202235.0175 of 25230.6%★★☆☆☆
202132.884 of 12834.4%★★☆☆☆
201948.3173 of 30342.9%★★☆☆☆
201834.0152 of 21228.3%★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
201930.6402 of 56629.0%★☆☆☆☆
201834.5431 of 63732.3%★★☆☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202669.7249 of 90172.4%★★★★☆
202553.5470 of 100753.3%★★★☆☆
202455.1444 of 100956.0%★★★☆☆
202361.5379 of 101162.5%★★★☆☆
202275.6230 of 103177.7%★★★★☆
202143.4528 of 94344.0%★★☆☆☆
201943.7629 of 102738.8%★★☆☆☆
201870.1250 of 83370.0%★★★★☆
Middle school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202677.6103 of 51480.0%★★★★☆
202560.6184 of 53465.5%★★★☆☆
202449.0256 of 53552.1%★★★☆☆
202377.5104 of 53980.7%★★★★☆
202237.5327 of 54139.6%★★☆☆☆
202136.1335 of 52936.7%★★☆☆☆
201939.3317 of 51238.1%★★☆☆☆
201830.4311 of 43728.8%★☆☆☆☆
201746.7231 of 43546.9%★★☆☆☆
201642.1256 of 44342.2%★★☆☆☆
201544.3235 of 44547.2%★★☆☆☆
201326.5387 of 49822.3%★☆☆☆☆
201244.5292 of 49741.2%★★☆☆☆
201151.4242 of 49250.8%★★★☆☆
201033.9339 of 48329.8%★★☆☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202433.4315 of 46432.1%★★☆☆☆
202144.6241 of 46948.6%★★☆☆☆
201953.5203 of 45255.1%★★★☆☆
201834.0254 of 37632.4%★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202671.095 of 45379.0%★★★★☆
202571.387 of 45781.0%★★★★☆
202450.6211 of 45553.6%★★★☆☆
202244.1248 of 47547.8%★★☆☆☆
202140.9264 of 45842.4%★★☆☆☆
201951.8204 of 44854.5%★★★☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202657.5174 of 45461.7%★★★☆☆
202577.793 of 47280.3%★★★★☆
202451.4210 of 46654.9%★★★☆☆
202379.184 of 47082.1%★★★★☆
202242.8256 of 48046.7%★★☆☆☆
202138.9280 of 47641.2%★★☆☆☆
201924.8350 of 45322.7%★☆☆☆☆
How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)
Elementary school
African American (2024)92nd percentile+60 vs school
English Language Learner (2026)87th percentile+20 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)85th percentile+19 vs school
Hispanic (2026)76th percentile+9 vs school
White (2026)72nd percentile+6 vs school
Male (2026)71st percentile+5 vs school
Female (2026)64th percentile~ school
Asian (2022)58th percentile+7 vs school
Multi-racial (2025)47th percentile+4 vs school
Special Education (2019)29th percentile-10 vs school
Middle school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)79th percentile~ school
Male (2026)62nd percentile-18 vs school
Female (2024)32nd percentile-20 vs school
By subject vs Washington (2025-2026) ?
English Language Arts59%+6 vs state
Math52%+9 vs state
Science52%~ state avg

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Frequently Asked Questions about Nautilus K-8 School

Nautilus K-8 School ranks 379th of 1138 Washington elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Nautilus K-8 School are 33% Hispanic, 24% White, 16% Two or more races, 13% Asian, 11% African American, 2% Pacific Islander.

Students who attend Nautilus K-8 School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Sacajawea Middle School
High : Federal Way High School

In the 2024-25 school year, 469 students attended Nautilus K-8 School.

Rate Nautilus K-8 School!



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Latest Washington data All new data »
2025–26 SBAC & WCAS test scoresNewSep 10, 2026
2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJan 8, 2026
2022–23 through 2023–24 school spending dataJan 6, 2026
2024–25 SBAC & WCAS test scoresSep 10, 2025


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.

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