Paterson Elementary School

Paterson Elementary School is a small public school in the Paterson community of Washington, serving 134 students in grades K–8 and offering a close-knit setting with strong academic results. The school is part of the highly rated Paterson School District, which ranks in the 91st percentile statewide. Paterson ranks in the 80th percentile among Washington schools most recently, although its results have varied from year to year.

Academically, Paterson is performing well above Washington averages in all three reported subjects. In 2025–26, proficiency was 68.69% in English language arts, 60.00% in math, and 55.17% in science, compared with statewide rates of 52.81%, 43.11%, and 50.95%. Literacy and math are the clearest strengths: grade 4 ELA proficiency was 78.95%, and grade 8 math proficiency was 57.14%, both well above state averages. Some grade-level results are suppressed because of small testing groups and cannot be evaluated. Science performance is positive overall but has fluctuated more than ELA and math. The school’s strongest recent year was 2023–24, when it reached the 90th percentile statewide; more recent results remain strong but have moderated.

Paterson also stands out for its results among economically disadvantaged students, ranking in the 98th to 100th percentiles statewide in the available years. Its small size may support individual attention: Paterson has 11.1 students per teacher, compared with 13.1 at nearby Keene-Riverview Elementary in Prosser. Paterson also spends more per student, $21,380 versus $18,077, though its smaller K–8 structure may raise fixed costs. The schools are not direct academic comparisons because Keene-Riverview serves only PK–2 and no comparable test results are provided. Overall, Paterson appears to be a strong small-school option, especially in literacy, math, and support for economically disadvantaged students.