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Parkside Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1077^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,138 Washington Elementary Schools

Better than 5% of Washington elementary schools

Summary

Parkside Elementary is a public PK–5 school in Des Moines, Washington, serving 535 students in a densely populated area with many nearby elementary schools in the Highline School District, Kent School District, and Federal Way School District. About 80.19% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating substantial economic need. The school has a 2025–26 state ranking in the 5th percentile and a 2024–25 student-teacher ratio of 18.7 to 1.

Academic performance is currently below both district and state averages. In 2025–26, 21.74% of students were proficient in English language arts, 18.18% in math, and 23.86% in science. No tested grade-subject combination reached 30% proficiency, and fifth-grade math was especially weak at 11.36%. Results are broadly low across grades and student groups, suggesting that Parkside faces a schoolwide instructional challenge rather than a problem limited to one subject or grade. Performance has also declined from earlier years, when the school ranked between the 36th and 42nd statewide percentiles from 2015–16 through 2018–19.

Parkside is not the lowest-performing nearby school: it outperformed Midway Elementary in all three subjects and exceeded River Ridge Elementary in ELA and math. However, it trailed stronger nearby schools, including Neely O’Brien Elementary, Valhalla Elementary School, and Star Lake Elementary School, which serve populations with comparable economic needs but report substantially higher proficiency rates. Des Moines Elementary also scored considerably higher in every subject. Key areas to examine include fifth-grade math, foundational ELA skills, staffing capacity, and practices that may have contributed to Parkside’s temporary science improvement in 2023–24.

535

Students ?

18.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$20,831

Per pupil spending ?

80.2%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

2104 S 247th St
Des Moines, WA 98198-3901

(206) 631-4700

District: Highline School District

Students who attend Parkside Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Pacific Middle School
High:	Mount Rainier High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

26.4%

Asian:

21.5%

African American:

21.1%

See top rated Washington elementary schools

Compare Parkside Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 36th percentile in 2016 → 5th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Washington average (20% vs 48% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (5th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 31 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school20%

District avg30%

Washington avg48%

1,077^th of 1,138

Washington public elementary schools ?

Bottom 5%▼ down 30 pts since 2016

From bottom 36% (2016) to bottom 5% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Washington Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

16^th of 17Elementary Schools in the Highline School District

198^th of 238Highline 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)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2026	6.5	1077 of 1138	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	9.3	1103 of 1160	4.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	12.8	1070 of 1168	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	9.9	1105 of 1169	5.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	13.8	1049 of 1169	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	15.8	959 of 1107	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	38.9	711 of 1130	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	40.3	633 of 1054	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2017	43.9	608 of 1056	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2016	38.9	676 of 1053	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2015	37.4	696 of 1067	34.8%	★★☆☆☆
2013	55.3	524 of 1106	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2012	53.5	546 of 1097	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2011	38.7	726 of 1092	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2010	53.7	499 of 1088	54.1%	★★★☆☆
2009	50.9	543 of 1072	49.3%	★★☆☆☆
2008	39.3	688 of 1067	35.5%	★★☆☆☆
2007	26.0	851 of 1069	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	23.2	879 of 1051	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	17.9	891 of 1031	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2026	15.4	80 of 82	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	28.5	60 of 75	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	49.9	33 of 71	53.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	59.7	34 of 108	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	41.6	64 of 110	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	60.9	28 of 107	73.8%	★★★★☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2026	7.7	100 of 103	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	10.2	171 of 189	9.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	4.9	158 of 163	3.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	5.7	167 of 170	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	26.5	165 of 201	17.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	26.8	132 of 169	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2026	9.6	321 of 326	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	15.8	277 of 303	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	19.6	281 of 320	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	15.4	234 of 254	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	51.5	85 of 248	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.9	102 of 333	69.4%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2026	6.6	1002 of 1020	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	11.6	1024 of 1092	6.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	19.7	913 of 1093	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	14.1	987 of 1094	9.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	13.9	998 of 1100	9.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	17.9	871 of 1008	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	38.5	701 of 1068	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	41.8	610 of 1004	39.2%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2026	15.1	607 of 649	6.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	16.0	599 of 659	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	25.1	520 of 651	20.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	15.9	587 of 633	7.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	30.3	501 of 694	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	33.0	334 of 501	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	38.5	445 of 697	36.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	36.5	348 of 540	35.6%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2026	11.1	967 of 1008	4.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	11.5	974 of 1013	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	19.2	909 of 1024	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	13.2	958 of 1013	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	19.7	905 of 1019	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	34.1	708 of 979	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	35.4	587 of 835	29.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2026	7.0	1030 of 1059	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	7.2	1067 of 1098	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	9.4	1051 of 1099	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	7.5	1072 of 1099	2.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	18.0	960 of 1113	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	14.1	927 of 1025	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	39.7	673 of 1075	37.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	39.1	623 of 999	37.6%	★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2024	19.3	172 of 188	8.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	4.7	194 of 194	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	15.5	229 of 252	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2019	37.0	334 of 566	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	15.1	617 of 637	3.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2026	10.2	861 of 901	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	7.9	975 of 1007	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	23.9	821 of 1009	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	7.2	984 of 1011	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	10.7	987 of 1031	4.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	25.5	731 of 943	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	69.4	314 of 1027	69.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	66.0	286 of 833	65.7%	★★★☆☆

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)

Special Education (2019)41st percentile+4 vs school

Multi-racial (2024)9th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2026)6th percentile~ school

White (2026)4th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)4th percentile~ school

Asian (2026)3rd percentile~ school

Male (2026)3rd percentile-3 vs school

African American (2026)2nd percentile-3 vs school

Female (2026)2nd percentile-4 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)2nd percentile-4 vs school

By subject vs Washington (2025-2026) ?

Science24%-27 vs state

English Language Arts22%-31 vs state

Math18%-25 vs state

1.0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Saturday, March 5, 2016

This school has a high rate of bullying, discrimination and prejudice. The principal needs to get her behind out of the ground and start listening to the students when they say they have problems. She hears what she wants to heay and that is all. She also takes students into her office, supposedly fordiscipline and lectures. Is it legal for her to do this behind a closed door with no one alse in the room? This is highly WRONG! When it rains students are forced to go outside forrecess, even disabled kids in wheelchairs. I am seriously considering reporting her to the School District. I wonder if it would do any good. I definitely do NOT recommend this school to anybody. Close Quote

Schools Near Parkside Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				WCAS Science (2026)			SBAC English Language Arts (2026)							SBAC Math (2026)							% 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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	WCAS Science 5th Grade	WCAS Science 8th 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 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 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
Parkside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2104 S 247th St	Des Moines	98198	King County	Highline School District	No	No	No	Yes	(206) 631-4700	535	28	18.7	80.2%	85 (15.9%)	113 (21.1%)	141 (26.4%)	115 (21.5%)	2 (0.4%)	30 (5.6%)	48 (9.0%)	6.5	1077^th of 1138 public elementary schools	5.4%		9.3	1103^rd of 1160 public elementary schools	4.9%	26	23.9		23.9	16.7	26.9	20.5				21.7	22.6	20.4	11.4				18.2	87.7	93.2	95.9	95.9	95.9	91.8	97.3	93.2	91.8	91.8	$20,831	$1,473	$19,358
Sunnycrest Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	24629 42nd Av S	Kent	98032	King County	Federal Way School District	No	No	No	Yes	(253) 945-4100	535	35	15.2	81.1%	63 (11.8%)	57 (10.7%)	209 (39.1%)	125 (23.4%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.9%)	71 (13.3%)	11.3	1021^st of 1138 public elementary schools	10.3%		8.9	1107^th of 1160 public elementary schools	4.6%	86	38.5		38.5	18.3	17.6	37.7				24.0	21.7	17.4	23.1				20.6	76.7	88.9	92.2	92.2	92.2	85.6	96.7	91.1	85.6	85.6	$18,935	$1,249	$17,687
Woodmont K-8 School	Public	K-8	26454 16th Av S	Des Moines	98198	King County	Federal Way School District	No	No	No	Yes	(253) 945-4500	402	25	16.2	70.9%	84 (20.9%)	60 (14.9%)	119 (29.6%)	72 (17.9%)	2 (0.5%)	24 (6.0%)	41 (10.2%)	28.2	816^th of 1138 public elementary schools	28.3%		21.7	952^nd of 1160 public elementary schools	17.9%	136	26.7	23.5	26.1	45.8	40.2	34.7	15.8	35.3	41.2	38.6	38.6	46.0	25.3	26.3	29.4	17.7	34.9	86.7	93.3	95.0	95.0	95.0	90.0	96.7	90.0	90.0	90.0	$19,396	$1,731	$17,665
Midway Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	22447 24th Ave S	Des Moines	98198	King County	Highline School District	No	No	No	Yes	(206) 631-4400	548	31	17.8	78.1%	53 (9.7%)	101 (18.4%)	238 (43.4%)	97 (17.7%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (4.2%)	34 (6.2%)	3.4	1102^nd of 1138 public elementary schools	3.2%		3.5	1151^st of 1160 public elementary schools	0.8%	49	17.6		17.6	10.1	10.4	19.7				13.4	19.2	9.2	13.3				14.0	77.4	83.5	88.7	87.8	87.8	85.2	92.2	89.6	85.2	85.2	$20,000	$1,473	$18,527
River Ridge Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	22420 Military Rd S	SeaTac	98198	King County	Kent School District	No	No	No	Yes	(253) 373-7320	697	42	16.6	72.7%	95 (13.6%)	150 (21.5%)	175 (25.1%)	176 (25.3%)	2 (0.3%)	53 (7.6%)	46 (6.6%)	4.5	1088^th of 1138 public elementary schools	4.4%		4.3	1144^th of 1160 public elementary schools	1.4%	56	21.6		21.6	15.5	12.6	17.0				15.1	20.6	18.6	13.0				17.2	68.9	78.3	79.3	79.3	79.3	75.5	87.7	76.4	75.5	75.5	$19,556	$1,556	$18,001
Star Lake Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	26812 B 40th AV S	Kent	98032	King County	Federal Way School District	No	No	No	Yes	(253) 945-4000	434	26	16.6	70.0%	66 (15.2%)	62 (14.3%)	132 (30.4%)	68 (15.7%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (9.7%)	64 (14.7%)	32.9	764^th of 1138 public elementary schools	32.9%		36.3	725^th of 1160 public elementary schools	37.5%	39	38.2		38.2	32.1	49.2	48.5				43.9	33.9	40.0	33.8				36.0	82.5	88.9	85.7	85.7	85.7	87.3	93.7	85.7	87.3	87.3	$20,873	$1,851	$19,022
Mark Twain Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2450 S Star Lake Rd	Federal Way	98003	King County	Federal Way School District	No	No	No	Yes	(253) 945-3100	531	33	16.0	88.5%	38 (7.2%)	108 (20.3%)	160 (30.1%)	120 (22.6%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (7.3%)	66 (12.4%)	10.9	1025^th of 1138 public elementary schools	9.9%		9.3	1102^nd of 1160 public elementary schools	5.0%	77	27.7		27.7	34.4	18.1	28.1				27.1	31.1	19.1	14.7				21.6	75.0	81.5	89.8	89.8	89.8	77.8	92.6	87.0	77.8	77.8	$18,930	$1,517	$17,413
Des Moines Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	22001 9th Ave S	Des Moines	98198	King County	Highline School District	No	No	No	Yes	(206) 631-3700	500	32	15.6	62.6%	111 (22.2%)	84 (16.8%)	145 (29.0%)	58 (11.6%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (3.4%)	84 (16.8%)	21.4	887^th of 1138 public elementary schools	22.1%		23.2	931^st of 1160 public elementary schools	19.7%	44	32.1		32.1	37.7	37.1	30.8				35.8	35.1	36.0	17.3				31.2	89.0	94.5	94.5	94.5	94.5	94.5	97.3	94.5	94.5	94.5	$23,049	$1,917	$21,132
Valhalla Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	27847 42nd Av S	Auburn	98001	King County	Federal Way School District	No	No	No	Yes	(253) 945-4300	517	30	17.2	75.2%	75 (14.5%)	57 (11.0%)	242 (46.8%)	69 (13.3%)	1 (0.2%)	20 (3.9%)	53 (10.3%)	40.7	665^th of 1138 public elementary schools	41.6%		32.1	800^th of 1160 public elementary schools	31.0%	135	52.7		52.7	37.8	37.2	51.4				41.9	47.5	39.7	41.9				43.1	87.7	89.6	90.6	90.6	90.6	88.7	91.5	90.6	88.7	88.7	$18,053	$1,301	$16,752
Neely O Brien Elementary School	Public	K-5	6300 S 236th ST	Kent	98032	King County	Kent School District	No	No	No	Yes	(253) 373-7434	472	36	13.2	66.9%	49 (10.4%)	92 (19.5%)	180 (38.1%)	48 (10.2%)	2 (0.4%)	54 (11.4%)	47 (10.0%)	50.9	537^th of 1138 public elementary schools	52.8%		34.5	756^th of 1160 public elementary schools	34.8%	219	61.0		61.0	47.3	41.8	61.0				50.2	50.7	32.5	45.1				42.7	70.9	76.0	74.7	74.7	74.7	76.0	84.8	76.0	76.0	76.0	$22,964	$1,612	$21,353

Frequently Asked Questions about Parkside Elementary

What is the racial makeup of Parkside Elementary?

Students at Parkside Elementary are 26% Hispanic, 21% Asian, 21% African American, 16% White, 9% Two or more races, 6% Pacific Islander.

What district is Parkside Elementary in?

Highline School District

Is Parkside Elementary a good school?

Parkside Elementary ranks in the bottom 5.4% of Washington elementary schools.

How many students attend Parkside Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 535 students attended Parkside Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Parkside Elementary attend?

Students who attend Parkside Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Pacific Middle School
High : Mount Rainier High School

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Latest Washington data All new data »

2025–26 SBAC & WCAS test scoresSep 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.