Summary:
Zip code 98118 includes 14 schools serving students from prekindergarten through grade 12, with options ranging from neighborhood elementary schools and K–8 programs to comprehensive, alternative, and small specialized high schools.
Hawthorne Elementary School is the strongest overall academic performer, ranking in the 84th percentile statewide and exceeding Seattle School District No. 1 averages in ELA, math, and science. Its 2025–2026 proficiency rates were 71.20% in ELA, 65.76% in math, and 66.67% in science. Orca K-8 School also stands out for improvement, rising from the 49th to the 67th percentile over three years, although its middle-school results are noticeably weaker than its elementary results. Among the schools with the lowest current elementary results, Emerson Elementary School had the lowest ELA, math, and science proficiency, while Dunlap Elementary School experienced the sharpest ranking decline.
For older students, Rainier Beach High School has made the largest recovery, improving from the 8th to the 34th percentile and posting an 83.7% graduation rate, slightly above the state rate. Its math and science scores remain below district averages, but both improved substantially. Aki Kurose Middle School is near the statewide midpoint, while South Shore Pk-8 School offers a relatively low student-teacher ratio. Families should compare grade-level results, not just schoolwide averages: math is generally the weakest subject, and K–8 performance can change significantly between elementary and middle grades. Small or specialized programs such as Alan T. Sugiyama High School and Rainier Valley Leadership Academy have limited or suppressed data and should be judged in light of their distinct missions and enrollments.
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