Summary:
This analysis covers 13 schools in the Federal Way, WA area (zip code 98023), including 9 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 3 high schools, all part of the Federal Way School District, which faces significant academic challenges ranking in the bottom 17% of Washington state districts.
Schools in this area serve a high-need population, with most having between 58% and 83% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. While the district overall underperforms state averages, there are standout schools, particularly at the elementary level. Twin Lakes Elementary School is the highest-ranked, excelling in science and math, and Green Gables Elementary School also performs well with the area's lowest poverty rate. In contrast, Olympic View Elementary School and Lake Grove Elementary School rank in the bottom 4% statewide and need significant support.
Key findings include a severe high school math proficiency crisis, with all local high schools scoring below 15%, yet Decatur High School maintains a strong 90.4% graduation rate. Per-student spending varies widely without a clear link to outcomes, and some schools show volatile year-to-year rankings. The data shows that improvement is possible even in high-need environments, as demonstrated by the success of Twin Lakes Elementary School.
Thank you for your feedback!