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Lakes Elementary School

Public Grades K-5
388th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 1,160 Washington Elementary Schools
Better than 67% of Washington elementary schools
Summary

Lakes Elementary School is a public K-5 school serving about 495 students in Lacey, WA, and is part of the North Thurston Public Schools district, where it consistently stands out as a strong and stable performer.

Academically, Lakes Elementary outperforms both its district and the state in English, Math, and Science. It is particularly effective for multi-racial and military-connected students. A key finding is that the school achieves these results very efficiently, spending less per student and having a slightly higher student-teacher ratio than many neighboring schools in the same district, such as Lydia Hawk Elementary and Lacey Elementary, which have significantly lower test scores. Even compared to a very close school like Chambers Prairie Elementary School, Lakes shows a notable advantage in student proficiency.

While the school is a top performer within its district, it's important for parents to know that schools just across the district line in the Olympia School District, like McKenny Elementary, often have higher rankings. The school has identified a major area for growth in supporting its special education students, whose performance has declined. Overall, Lakes Elementary provides a reliably above-average education and is a notable example of a school that uses its resources effectively to support student learning.

495
Students ?
17.1
Student/teacher ratio ?
$17,215
Per pupil spending ?
41.4%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 6211 Mullen Rd SE
       Lacey, WA  98503-7198

(360) 412-4600

District: North Thurston Public Schools


Students who attend Lakes Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Komachin Middle School
High:    Timberline High School
Racial breakdown:

White:
48.3%
Hispanic:
20.2%
Two or more races:
15.8%
more
 See top rated Washington elementary schools

 Compare Lakes Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!
At a glance
Ranking trend: Holding steady — 64th percentile in 2015 → 67th in 2025
Strengths
Test scores above the Washington average (58% vs 48% meeting standards)
Among the top-ranked schools in North Thurston Public Schools
Above the Washington median (67th percentile)
Worth a look
!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing
Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?
This school58%
District avg46%
Washington avg48%
388th of 1,160
Washington public elementary schools ?
Top 33%▲ up 3 pts since 2015
See the entire ranking list of Washington Elementary Schools →
SchoolDigger rating ?
2nd of 14Elementary Schools in the North Thurston Public Schools
108th of 247North Thurston Public Schools 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

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202564.1388 of 116066.6%★★★☆☆
202467.2356 of 116869.5%★★★☆☆
202363.0398 of 116966.0%★★★☆☆
202260.7420 of 116964.1%★★★☆☆
202157.6436 of 110760.6%★★★☆☆
201961.0435 of 113061.5%★★★☆☆
201869.3324 of 105469.3%★★★☆☆
201770.1312 of 105670.5%★★★★☆
201666.1351 of 105366.7%★★★☆☆
201561.6384 of 106764.0%★★★☆☆
201376.6217 of 110680.4%★★★★☆
201279.1170 of 109784.5%★★★★☆
201174.9221 of 109279.8%★★★★☆
201080.3148 of 108886.4%★★★★☆
200966.2350 of 107267.4%★★★☆☆
200868.9313 of 106770.7%★★★★☆
200763.6385 of 106964.0%★★★☆☆
200674.1218 of 105179.3%★★★★☆
200569.0295 of 103171.4%★★★★☆
200461.1370 of 102663.9%★★★☆☆

Asian

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
201864.076 of 16955.0%★★★☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202555.3455 of 109258.3%★★★☆☆
202459.0410 of 109362.5%★★★☆☆
202367.8322 of 109470.6%★★★★☆
202255.3461 of 110058.1%★★★☆☆
202147.1495 of 100850.9%★★★☆☆
201953.7516 of 106851.7%★★★☆☆
201870.4286 of 100471.5%★★★★☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202549.4314 of 65952.4%★★★☆☆
202461.2236 of 65163.7%★★★☆☆
202366.3161 of 63374.6%★★★★☆
202257.2233 of 69466.4%★★★☆☆
202149.6199 of 50160.3%★★★☆☆
201943.0408 of 69741.5%★★☆☆☆
201869.1125 of 54076.9%★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202562.0335 of 101366.9%★★★☆☆
202458.1399 of 102461.0%★★★☆☆
202354.4428 of 101357.7%★★★☆☆
202247.8508 of 101950.1%★★★☆☆
202134.9574 of 85432.8%★★☆☆☆
201968.1235 of 97976.0%★★★★☆
201872.2148 of 83582.3%★★★★☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202567.8331 of 109869.9%★★★☆☆
202472.0283 of 109974.2%★★★★☆
202357.5430 of 109960.9%★★★☆☆
202264.7359 of 111367.7%★★★☆☆
202163.9339 of 102566.9%★★★☆☆
201964.7364 of 107566.1%★★★☆☆
201867.3321 of 99967.9%★★★☆☆

Military Connected

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202574.65 of 4588.9%★★★★★
202488.13 of 3992.3%★★★★★
202364.27 of 4885.4%★★★★☆
202262.216 of 5068.0%★★★☆☆
202149.715 of 3253.1%★★★☆☆
201951.430 of 5040.0%★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202587.912 of 19793.9%★★★★★
202455.679 of 18858.0%★★★☆☆
202385.011 of 19494.3%★★★★★
202264.493 of 25263.1%★★★☆☆
201959.2128 of 30357.8%★★★☆☆
201857.093 of 21256.1%★★★☆☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202532.2268 of 36326.2%★☆☆☆☆
202437.8222 of 33934.5%★★☆☆☆
202348.1147 of 30852.3%★★★☆☆
202242.1249 of 47847.9%★★☆☆☆
201946.5254 of 56655.1%★★★☆☆
201856.6218 of 63765.8%★★★☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankWashington percentileRating
202563.8357 of 100764.5%★★★☆☆
202465.7332 of 100967.1%★★★☆☆
202357.9412 of 101159.2%★★★☆☆
202259.9398 of 103161.4%★★★☆☆
202156.1387 of 94359.0%★★★☆☆
201960.3410 of 102760.1%★★★☆☆
201860.1340 of 83359.2%★★★☆☆
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)
Multi-racial (2025)94th percentile+27 vs school
Military Connected (2025)89th percentile+22 vs school
Male (2025)70th percentile+3 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2025)67th percentile~ school
White (2025)65th percentile~ school
Female (2025)58th percentile-8 vs school
Asian (2018)55th percentile-14 vs school
Hispanic (2025)52nd percentile-14 vs school
Special Education (2025)26th percentile-40 vs school
By subject vs Washington (2024-2025) ?
Science65%+15 vs state
English Language Arts58%+5 vs state
Math51%+8 vs state

2.3
3 ratings · 2 written reviews
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What people are saying
by a parent
Thursday, March 2, 2023

Open Quote Parents, below are what we wrote to the school, were hoping the school administration could make some changes regarding their morning classroom entry policy. I sent it to the school on 2/27/2023.

The school (or the school district) has the rule, that all the students must wait outside and line up in a single file line until 8:05 am each day (sometimes it takes longer till 8:10) to enter the classroom. Lately, it's been VERY COLD in the morning. The temperature is in the 10s or lower 20s as the time the school bus drops them to school is around 7:48 am. We are asking the school to make an appropriate change for those times when morning temperatures drop below 32 degrees. The students should not be standing outside just to wait for teachers to finish preparing in the morning, such as making a few copies as stated in your previous email when announcing the rule last year. The staff starts at 7:30 am. The students standing outside waiting for the classroom to open in way below-freezing temperatures is Not acceptable. We feel it's neglectful. It's different with recess time. During recess, their bodies are moving and running, instead of standing in a single file line, and the temperature also improves. Standing still outside in the morning cold causes many children to get sick. I noticed my child's stuffy nose and sneezing last Friday after he came back from school, and those symptoms continue through the weekends. He told me "it's too cold waiting for the classroom to open". And yes we dress him in extra warm clothing, gloves/hats just to hope it would help. As a parent, it's very sad to know the adults stay inside but keep the children waiting outside. They are too young. The morning rule is causing unnecessary risk and increasing their chances of getting sick. Unfortunately, many families like us have to work, so I'm not available to drop my son at school at 8:05 am every day. And we are not the only family who has the same concern regarding the morning rule. Most importantly, as educators, providing a safe and healthy environment to the students should be paramount and should not be sacrificed to make a few copies, etc.

Think about it, will you ask your own child/children, no matter a kindergarten, a 2nd or 5th grader, or even a teenager, ask them to be standing outside your house every morning from 7:50 or before to 8:05 am? She/he needs to be standing still, not moving not running, outside temperature range from 10s or 20s degree, or under the cold windy storm, just because you want to prepare something or make a coffee? Last Friday (2.24.2023) at 8am the outside temperature was 16 degrees. And the weather has been like that for a while.

We are not asking this morning waiting rule to be completely disregarded we are asking when the weather is cold like this when morning temperatures drop to freezing or below, the students should be allowed inside and not asked to line up waiting outside until 8:05 am. This year winter is almost over, but this rule needs to be changed according to the weather.

We have been supporting the school morning classroom entry rule since last year when they announced it. And we were hoping the school, could do some adjustments according to the weather. Nothing be done. Those young children have been doing a phenomenal job by following the rule, and many children got sick because of that or relevant of that, including mine. The school principal told me he's not planning to make a change this year. I hope he reconsider it and make appropriate changes in the near future. He knows how many children have to go to the nurse office and how many called in sick. Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Open Quote If your child does not fit within their box they will not work with you. The administration does not care that the law requires them to fallow the IEP, if it is inconvenient for them they wont do it. Your request for change or help will fall on deaf ears. When your child is being harmed Jami Roberts answer is ALWAYS... let's work together as a team, but not make any changes. I have had to make complaints to the District and the State before they would help my child. Close Quote





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Latest Washington data All new data »
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
2023–24 dropout rates & graduation ratesJan 16, 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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