Schools in Zip Code 98146

The 98146 area has eight schools serving elementary through high-school students, with about 4,342 students across two districts. Seven schools belong to Highline School District, while Arbor Heights Elementary School is part of Seattle School District No. 1. The schools vary considerably in test performance, rankings, staffing, spending, and program structure, so families should compare individual schools rather than assume results are the same throughout the ZIP code.

Arbor Heights Elementary School is the clear academic standout, ranking in the 74th percentile statewide and exceeding Washington averages in English language arts, math, and science. Its proficiency rates were 64.16% in ELA, 56.64% in math, and 56.34% in science. Among the Highline School District elementary schools, Shorewood Elementary had the strongest science and math results, while Hazel Valley Elementary showed notable ranking improvement. Mount View Elementary made its largest gain in science, and White Center Heights Elementary also performed relatively well in science.

The secondary schools face greater challenges, particularly in math. Evergreen High School had the highest ELA proficiency among the secondary schools and improved in all three tested subjects, but its math and science results remained low; its graduation rate was 78.1%. Cascade Middle School posted higher math and science results than Evergreen, though its eighth-grade results were weaker than those in earlier grades. Highline Open Doors 1418 is an alternative program and should be evaluated separately from conventional high schools; its reported graduation and dropout rates reflect a substantially different program model. Overall, the most important areas to monitor are secondary math, grade-specific weaknesses, and recent declines at some schools despite improvement at others.