Summary
Neely O Brien Elementary School is a public K–5 school in Kent, Washington, serving 472 students in the Kent School District in an area with relatively high economic need.
The school’s recent results are considerably stronger than its older rankings suggest. In 2025–26, it ranked 537th of 1,138 Washington elementary schools, in the 53rd statewide percentile, compared with the 2nd percentile in 2021–22. Neely O’Brien had the highest proficiency rates among the nearby schools provided: 50.21% in ELA, 42.74% in math, and 60.98% in science. It also exceeded the Kent School District average in all three subjects. For example, compared with nearby Kent Elementary School, Neely O’Brien posted higher results in ELA, math, and science; it also led Star Lake Elementary School, the next-strongest nearby school, by 6.3 points in ELA and 6.8 points in math. Its science result was especially notable, exceeding the Washington state rate by 10.03 points.
Progress has been broad: from 2022–23 to 2025–26, ELA increased 17.53 percentage points, math rose 18.31 points, and science gained 22.82 points. Fifth grade was a strength, while fourth-grade math was the clearest concern, with 32.47% proficiency versus 49.54% statewide. The school also reported the lowest student-teacher ratio among the nearby schools listed, at 13.2 to 1, and spent $22,964 per student in 2023–24, more than most local comparisons. Families may want to ask how the school is sustaining its gains, supporting fourth-grade math, and improving outcomes for students receiving special education services, whose subgroup ranking was in the 27th percentile.
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