Best Public Schools in Zip Code 98102

Zip code 98102 has two public schools—Tops K-8 School, serving kindergarten through eighth grade, and Lowell Elementary School, serving prekindergarten through fifth grade—both operated by Seattle School District No. 1 in the Seattle area.

These schools offer sharply different academic profiles. Tops K-8 School is the clear standout, ranking 184th out of 1,138 Washington schools, in the 84th percentile, with a four-star rating. Its 2025–26 proficiency rates were 70.83% in English language arts, 65.70% in math, and 72.00% in science—above both district and state averages. The school’s ranking has improved over the past three years. Strong grade-level results include third-grade ELA at 87.80%, fourth-grade math at 75.56%, and eighth-grade science at 78.95%. Fifth grade is a relative weak spot, especially math at 45.24%, although the school remains strong overall.

Lowell Elementary School has a much weaker academic record, ranking in the 15th statewide percentile with a one-star rating. Its all-grades proficiency rates were 26.67% in ELA, 29.93% in math, and 22.45% in science. Results were below district and state averages in every reported subject and grade, with fifth-grade ELA and math particularly low and science declining nearly 12 points year over year. Lowell does report a smaller student-teacher ratio and higher spending per student than Tops, but those resources have not yet translated into stronger test results. Families comparing the schools should also consider the different grade spans, student needs, programs, attendance, student mobility, and growth trends rather than relying on test scores alone.