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John Hay Elementary School

Q: Is John Hay Elementary School a good school?

John Hay Elementary School ranks 545 th of 1160 Washington elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

545^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,160 Washington Elementary Schools

Better than 53% of Washington elementary schools

Summary

John Hay Elementary School is a public K-5 school serving 257 students in Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood, operating within the Seattle School District No. 1.

Historically a top-tier school, John Hay has experienced a significant and recent decline in academic performance, with its statewide ranking dropping to the 53rd percentile for the 2024-2025 school year. Its proficiency rates in English (55%), Math (49%), and particularly Science (36%) are now below the district average and notably lower than nearly all nearby schools, such as Frantz Coe Elementary School and Queen Anne Elementary, which rank in the 98th and 97th percentiles respectively.

This drop is puzzling given the school's resources, including a low student-teacher ratio of 11-to-1 and higher per-student spending than many of its high-performing neighbors. The decline has been especially sharp for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. While the school has demonstrated the capacity for high achievement in the past, its current performance places it as a mid-tier school in a geographic cluster of exceptional elementary schools, indicating a critical need for focused improvement efforts.

257

Students ?

11.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$24,733

Per pupil spending ?

30%

Free/discounted lunch ?

201 Garfield St
Seattle, WA 98109-3177

(206) 252-2100

District: Seattle School District No. 1

Students who attend John Hay Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	McClure Middle School
High:	Lincoln High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

44.0%

Hispanic:

21.4%

Asian:

16.3%

See top rated Washington elementary schools

Compare John Hay Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 98th percentile in 2015 → 53rd in 2025

Strengths

✓Above the Washington median (53rd percentile)

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 45 percentile points since 2015

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Science scores 13 pts below the Washington average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school47%

District avg63%

Washington avg48%

545^th of 1,160

Washington public elementary schools ?

Top 47%▼ down 45 pts since 2015

From top 2% (2015) to top 47% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Washington Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

49^th of 70Elementary Schools in the Seattle School District No. 1

45^th of 247Seattle School District No. 1 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
2025	51.4	545 of 1160	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	76.4	258 of 1168	77.9%	★★★★☆
2023	75.1	275 of 1169	76.5%	★★★★☆
2022	86.4	149 of 1169	87.3%	★★★★☆
2021	88.2	126 of 1107	88.6%	★★★★☆
2019	87.5	114 of 1130	89.9%	★★★★☆
2018	92.0	63 of 1054	94.0%	★★★★★
2017	90.9	77 of 1056	92.7%	★★★★★
2016	89.6	88 of 1053	91.6%	★★★★★
2015	95.9	24 of 1067	97.8%	★★★★★
2013	92.0	30 of 1106	97.3%	★★★★★
2012	93.8	13 of 1097	98.8%	★★★★★
2011	94.3	15 of 1092	98.6%	★★★★★
2010	93.4	23 of 1088	97.9%	★★★★★
2009	95.2	12 of 1072	98.9%	★★★★★
2008	95.2	13 of 1067	98.8%	★★★★★
2007	95.3	17 of 1069	98.4%	★★★★★
2006	95.5	9 of 1051	99.1%	★★★★★
2005	90.5	55 of 1031	94.7%	★★★★★
2004	92.4	43 of 1026	95.8%	★★★★★

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2019	64.3	74 of 201	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	85.8	15 of 169	91.1%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2025	56.2	452 of 1092	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	71.0	286 of 1093	73.8%	★★★★☆
2023	74.4	251 of 1094	77.1%	★★★★☆
2022	89.6	97 of 1100	91.2%	★★★★★
2021	93.9	61 of 1008	93.9%	★★★★★
2019	91.5	57 of 1068	94.7%	★★★★★
2018	88.9	87 of 1004	91.3%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2018	95.3	16 of 540	97.0%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2025	35.7	696 of 1013	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	82.8	88 of 1024	91.4%	★★★★★
2023	52.5	461 of 1013	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	76.4	127 of 979	87.0%	★★★★☆
2018	68.3	191 of 835	77.1%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2025	52.7	489 of 1098	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	78.3	220 of 1099	80.0%	★★★★☆
2023	73.4	267 of 1099	75.7%	★★★★☆
2022	79.9	212 of 1113	81.0%	★★★★☆
2021	76.7	224 of 1025	78.1%	★★★★☆
2019	77.9	216 of 1075	79.9%	★★★★☆
2018	93.5	32 of 999	96.8%	★★★★★

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2022	91.6	9 of 252	96.4%	★★★★★
2018	77.3	39 of 212	81.6%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2022	73.2	77 of 478	83.9%	★★★★☆
2019	89.6	28 of 566	95.1%	★★★★★
2018	96.2	13 of 637	98.0%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2025	58.8	407 of 1007	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	76.0	223 of 1009	77.9%	★★★★☆
2023	78.1	212 of 1011	79.0%	★★★★☆
2022	85.1	119 of 1031	88.5%	★★★★☆
2021	83.6	128 of 943	86.4%	★★★★☆
2019	84.6	116 of 1027	88.7%	★★★★☆
2018	88.5	47 of 833	94.4%	★★★★★

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)

Hispanic (2018)97th percentile+3 vs school

Multi-racial (2022)96th percentile+9 vs school

Special Education (2022)84th percentile-3 vs school

Asian (2019)63rd percentile-27 vs school

White (2025)60th percentile+7 vs school

Female (2025)59th percentile+6 vs school

Male (2025)55th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)31st percentile-22 vs school

By subject vs Washington (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts55%~ state avg

Math49%+6 vs state

Science36%-13 vs state

2.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Friday, June 1, 2018

We attended kindergarten at John Hay but switched to a different school following our experience there. Our core issues were:

Frequent screen time: at John Hay, our kids had a minimum of 30 minutes of screen time per week, often much more. At our new school, screen time was rare.

Tailored education: our daughter often complained of being bored, and she was. There was very little tailoring of education for students, they all did the same thing / learned things at the same time. We had to supplement her learning with additional worksheets at home, to keep her busy in class, as the teachers offered no solution.

Communication from the principal: this was horrendous. Very little transparency. Difficulty getting a response to concerns.

Mom cliques: The cliquiness was so WEIRD. It's as though we were all in high school again. Many moms I know whose kids attend (or attended) Hay felt uncomfortable with this aspect of the school (these are college educated moms - some stay-at-home, some with careers, all frustrated by the cattiness). Close Quote

Schools Near John Hay Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				WCAS Science (2025)			SBAC English Language Arts (2025)							SBAC Math (2025)							% 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/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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
John Hay Elementary School	Public	K-5	201 Garfield St	Seattle	98109	King County	Seattle School District No. 1	No	No	No	No	(206) 252-2100	257	23	11.0	30.0%	113 (44.0%)	13 (5.1%)	55 (21.4%)	42 (16.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.2%)	30 (11.7%)	51.4	545^th of 1160 public elementary schools	53.0%		76.4	258^th of 1168 public elementary schools	77.9%	287	35.9		35.9	44.7	68.8	53.9				55.1	47.4	59.4	42.1				49.1	90.6	92.5	94.3	94.3	94.3	92.5	94.3	94.3	90.6	92.5	$24,733	$985	$23,747
Queen Anne Elementary	Public	K-5	411 Boston St.	Seattle	98109	King County	Seattle School District No. 1	No	No	No	No	(206) 252-2480	159	14	11.5	10.7%	102 (64.2%)	2 (1.3%)	17 (10.7%)	20 (12.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (11.3%)	95.7	39^th of 1160 public elementary schools	96.6%		90.4	106^th of 1168 public elementary schools	90.9%	67	88.9		88.9	87.1	81.5	85.2				84.7	87.1	70.4	81.5				80.0	93.9	97.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	97.0	97.0	97.0	97.0	97.0	$22,456	$1,010	$21,445
Frantz Coe Elementary School	Public	K-5	2424 7 Av W	Seattle	98119	King County	Seattle School District No. 1	No	No	No	No	(206) 252-2000	467	26	17.8	11.1%	305 (65.3%)	11 (2.4%)	32 (6.9%)	64 (13.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	53 (11.3%)	97.3	18^th of 1160 public elementary schools	98.4%		98.4	8^th of 1168 public elementary schools	99.3%	10	82.9		82.9	88.2		87.8				91.0	88.2		82.9				89.6	93.5	97.4	96.1	96.1	96.1	97.4	98.7	94.8	97.4	97.4	$20,444	$736	$19,708
Tops K-8 School	Public	PK, KG-8	2500 Franklin Av E	Seattle	98102	King County	Seattle School District No. 1	No	No	No	No	(206) 252-3510	447	32	14.0	29.1%	192 (43.0%)	42 (9.4%)	34 (7.6%)	76 (17.0%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	93 (20.8%)	81.7	197^th of 1160 public elementary schools	83.0%		77.9	240^th of 1168 public elementary schools	79.5%	43	80.0	69.0	73.8	66.7	54.8	76.6	72.9	81.4	82.5	73.5	66.7	59.5	68.1	50.9	64.4	68.4	62.8	97.9	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	97.9	100.0	100.0	100.0	$21,459	$879	$20,580
B F Day Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3921 Linden Av N	Seattle	98103	King County	Seattle School District No. 1	No	No	No	No	(206) 252-6010	394	26	15.1	18.5%	246 (62.4%)	17 (4.3%)	24 (6.1%)	42 (10.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	61 (15.5%)	92.5	81^st of 1160 public elementary schools	93.0%		92.4	80^th of 1168 public elementary schools	93.2%	1	79.0		79.0	86.5	80.0	73.7				79.2	80.8	76.4	64.9				72.8	85.2	88.9	91.4	91.4	91.4	87.7	90.1	91.4	87.7	87.7	$23,165	$772	$22,393
Lowell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1058 E Mercer St	Seattle	98102	King County	Seattle School District No. 1	No	No	No	Yes	(206) 252-3020	392	36	10.8	71.9%	49 (12.5%)	127 (32.4%)	118 (30.1%)	49 (12.5%)	4 (1.0%)	12 (3.1%)	31 (7.9%)	16.5	1008^th of 1160 public elementary schools	13.1%		20.5	961^st of 1168 public elementary schools	17.7%	47	34.3		34.3	38.3	21.6	31.3				30.3	37.5	26.9	22.4				28.1	53.1	67.2	68.8	68.8	68.8	59.4	71.9	64.1	59.4	59.4	$28,596	$2,595	$26,001
Magnolia Elementary School	Public	K-5	2418 24th Ave W	Seattle	98199	King County	Seattle School District No. 1	No	No	No	No	(206) 743-3800	320	25	12.8	12.8%	201 (62.8%)	9 (2.8%)	33 (10.3%)	35 (10.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (13.1%)	85.6	158^th of 1160 public elementary schools	86.4%		86.6	146^th of 1168 public elementary schools	87.5%	12	80.4		80.4	67.9	65.9	74.5				69.6	78.6	63.4	58.8				67.6	98.0	98.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	98.0	98.0	98.0	98.0	98.0	$25,397	$984	$24,413
Stevens Elementary School	Public	K-5	1242 18 Av E	Seattle	98112	King County	Seattle School District No. 1	No	No	No	No	(206) 252-3400	150	10	14.4	34.0%	79 (52.7%)	15 (10.0%)	23 (15.3%)	8 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (16.0%)	73.9	276^th of 1160 public elementary schools	76.2%		92.1	85^th of 1168 public elementary schools	92.7%	191	78.6		78.6	42.4		79.3				67.1	45.5	80.0	65.5				61.0	85.7	85.7	90.5	90.5	90.5	85.7	85.7	85.7	85.7	85.7	$26,570	$1,321	$25,249
John Stanford International School	Public	K-5	4057 5 Av NE	Seattle	98105	King County	Seattle School District No. 1	No	No	No	No	(206) 252-6080	422	24	17.9	8.5%	173 (41.0%)	4 (0.9%)	105 (24.9%)	44 (10.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	92 (21.8%)	96.5	26^th of 1160 public elementary schools	97.8%		98	13^th of 1168 public elementary schools	98.9%	13				81.5	79.1	90.5				83.6	80.3	85.1	93.7				86.2	97.4	98.7	98.7	98.7	98.7	100.0	100.0	98.7	100.0	100.0	$20,798	$707	$20,091
Montlake Elementary School	Public	K-5	2409 22 Av E	Seattle	98112	King County	Seattle School District No. 1	No	No	No	No	(206) 252-3300	170	12	14.4	10.0%	98 (57.6%)	6 (3.5%)	12 (7.1%)	18 (10.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (21.2%)	93.7	65^th of 1160 public elementary schools	94.4%		95.5	42^nd of 1168 public elementary schools	96.4%	23	87.5		87.5	72.7	78.8	83.3				78.5	81.8	69.7	79.2				76.0	87.1	90.3	96.8	96.8	96.8	90.3	93.6	90.3	90.3	90.3	$26,384	$723	$25,661

Frequently Asked Questions about John Hay Elementary School

How many students attend John Hay Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 257 students attended John Hay Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of John Hay Elementary School attend?

Students who attend John Hay Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : McClure Middle School
High : Lincoln High School

Is John Hay Elementary School a good school?

John Hay Elementary School ranks 545^th of 1160 Washington elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is John Hay Elementary School in?

Seattle School District No. 1

What is the racial makeup of John Hay Elementary School?

Students at John Hay Elementary School are 44% White, 21% Hispanic, 16% Asian, 12% Two or more races, 5% African American, 1% Pacific Islander.

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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.