Best Public Schools in Zip Code 98198

Summary:

This analysis covers 10 schools in zip code 98198, serving parts of Des Moines and SeaTac, which include six elementary schools, one middle school, and three high schools educating about 5,700 students across four different districts.

Overall, schools in this area face significant academic challenges, with average test scores in English and Math well below state averages, and many schools serve a high percentage of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. However, there are standout performers, including Maritime High School, which achieves the highest academic ranking, and Mount Rainier High School, which boasts a strong 87.5% graduation rate. Among elementary schools, Des Moines Elementary shows the strongest academic results.

Conversely, several schools, particularly River Ridge Elementary and Midway Elementary, have consistently ranked in the lowest percentile statewide. The data reveals that higher per-student spending does not guarantee better outcomes, and specialized or smaller school models, like Maritime High, often outperform larger comprehensive schools. Most schools are part of the Highline School District, which shows a mix of struggling and successful schools, indicating that effective programs can succeed even within broader challenges.

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 11th 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 10th 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 10th 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
Cascade Public Schools	Public, Magnet, Charter	9-12	22419 Pacific Highway South	Des Moines	98198	King County	Why Not You Academy	Yes	Yes	No	No	(253) 271-8629	126	8	15.7	20.6%	12 (9.5%)	87 (69.0%)	19 (15.1%)	3 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.6%)	3 (2.4%)								(n/a)											22.2	22.2																			$24,504	$743	$23,761
Woodmont K-8 School	Public	K-8	26454 16th Av S	Des Moines	98198	King County	Federal Way School District	No	No	No	Yes	(253) 945-4500	402	25	16.2	70.9%	84 (20.9%)	60 (14.9%)	119 (29.6%)	72 (17.9%)	2 (0.5%)	24 (6.0%)	41 (10.2%)	21.7	952^nd of 1160 public elementary schools	17.9%		28.3	849^th of 1168 public elementary schools	27.3%	103	32.3	44.4		34.2	35.0	31.8	32.3	14.3	50.0	33.3		32.7	51.3	42.6	29.0	19.1	31.3	22.2		37.0	86.7	93.3	95.0	95.0	95.0	90.0	96.7	90.0	90.0	90.0	$19,396	$1,731	$17,665
Des Moines Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	22001 9th Ave S	Des Moines	98198	King County	Highline School District	No	No	No	Yes	(206) 631-3700	500	32	15.6	62.6%	111 (22.2%)	84 (16.8%)	145 (29.0%)	58 (11.6%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (3.4%)	84 (16.8%)	23.2	931^st of 1160 public elementary schools	19.7%		31.7	798^th of 1168 public elementary schools	31.7%	133	29.5			29.5	45.0	45.3	24.4					37.4	38.8	35.9	19.5					31.0	89.0	94.5	94.5	94.5	94.5	94.5	97.3	94.5	94.5	94.5	$23,049	$1,917	$21,132
Madrona Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	20301 32nd Ave South	SeaTac	98198	King County	Highline School District	No	No	No	Yes	(206) 631-4100	317	20	15.7	77.0%	20 (6.3%)	65 (20.5%)	162 (51.1%)	14 (4.4%)	1 (0.3%)	34 (10.7%)	21 (6.6%)	17.4	994^th of 1160 public elementary schools	14.3%		7	1124^th of 1168 public elementary schools	3.8%	130	30.8			30.8	25.0	22.0	33.3					26.3	34.9		38.5					24.8	80.4	83.9	89.3	89.3	89.3	82.1	92.9	83.9	82.1	82.1	$23,482	$2,361	$21,121
Midway Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	22447 24th Ave S	Des Moines	98198	King County	Highline School District	No	No	No	Yes	(206) 631-4400	548	31	17.8	78.1%	53 (9.7%)	101 (18.4%)	238 (43.4%)	97 (17.7%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (4.2%)	34 (6.2%)	3.5	1151^st of 1160 public elementary schools	0.8%		3.6	1161^st of 1168 public elementary schools	0.6%	10	15.3			15.3	14.9	15.3	19.0					16.2	18.4	11.8	11.8					14.1	77.4	83.5	88.7	87.8	87.8	85.2	92.2	89.6	85.2	85.2	$20,000	$1,473	$18,527
Mount Rainier High School	Public	9-12	22450 19th Ave S	Des Moines	98198	King County	Highline School District	No	No	No	Yes	(206) 631-7000	1,846	77	24.0	58.8%	421 (22.8%)	294 (15.9%)	649 (35.2%)	229 (12.4%)	6 (0.3%)	60 (3.3%)	175 (9.5%)	41.2	257^th of 438 public high schools	41.3%		33.5	299^th of 437 public high schools	31.6%	42			40.3	40.3							60.0	60.0							29.9	29.9											$17,640	$1,220	$16,420
Pacific Middle School	Public	6-8	22705 24th Ave S	Des Moines	98198	King County	Highline School District	No	No	No	Yes	(206) 631-5800	604	33	18.5	74.3%	82 (13.6%)	102 (16.9%)	221 (36.6%)	112 (18.5%)	1 (0.2%)	26 (4.3%)	58 (9.6%)	11.8	487^th of 534 public middle schools	8.8%		11.6	495^th of 535 public middle schools	7.5%	8		14.2		14.2				25.8	33.5	37.9		32.0				15.2	17.3	14.7		15.8											$20,856	$1,431	$19,425
Parkside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2104 S 247th St	Des Moines	98198	King County	Highline School District	No	No	No	Yes	(206) 631-4700	535	28	18.7	80.2%	85 (15.9%)	113 (21.1%)	141 (26.4%)	115 (21.5%)	2 (0.4%)	30 (5.6%)	48 (9.0%)	9.3	1103^rd of 1160 public elementary schools	4.9%		12.8	1070^th of 1168 public elementary schools	8.4%	33	22.8			22.8	31.3	15.3	29.9					25.2	28.9	15.3	20.5					21.6	87.7	93.2	95.9	95.9	95.9	91.8	97.3	93.2	91.8	91.8	$20,831	$1,473	$19,358
Maritime High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	615 S 200th St	Des Moines	98198	King County	Highline School District	No	Yes	No	No	(206) 631-6703	126	8	15.3	38.1%	62 (49.2%)	1 (0.8%)	31 (24.6%)	8 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.6%)	14 (11.1%)	52.2	197^th of 438 public high schools	55.0%		58.3	161^st of 437 public high schools	63.2%	36											58.8	58.8							35.3	35.3											$29,525	$1,879	$27,646
River Ridge Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	22420 Military Rd S	SeaTac	98198	King County	Kent School District	No	No	No	Yes	(253) 373-7320	697	42	16.6	72.7%	95 (13.6%)	150 (21.5%)	175 (25.1%)	176 (25.3%)	2 (0.3%)	53 (7.6%)	46 (6.6%)	4.3	1144^th of 1160 public elementary schools	1.4%		3.8	1157^th of 1168 public elementary schools	0.9%	13	19.8			19.8	17.1	10.2	20.5					15.5	19.1	14.3	15.9					16.3	68.9	78.3	79.3	79.3	79.3	75.5	87.7	76.4	75.5	75.5	$19,556	$1,556	$18,001
Gateway to College	Public	9-12	Highline Community College	Des Moines	98198	King County	Tukwila School District	No	No	No	No	(206) 878-3710	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)

Cities Near Zip Code 98198

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Des Moines	0.38 mi	10	225^th
SeaTac	1 mi	8	273^rd
Normandy Park	2.02 mi	1	81^st
Kent	2.16 mi	37	204^th
Burien	2.36 mi	13	235^th

See the top WA Washington cities

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.