Schools in Zip Code 98397

Zip code 98397 has one listed public school, Elk Plain School of Choice, a K–8 school in the Spanaway area serving 574 students through the Bethel School District. Because it is the only school in the supplied data, there are no local schools to compare directly, and no separate middle or high schools are listed for this ZIP code.

Elk Plain School of Choice has a 3-star rating, a 17:1 student-teacher ratio, and a 65th-percentile ranking for 2025–26. Its academic results were above both the district and state in all three reported subjects: 55.98% of students were proficient in English language arts, 50.00% in math, and 60.31% in science. Science is the clearest strength, with results 15.90 percentage points above the district and 9.36 points above the state. Math also stands out, exceeding the district by 11.84 points. The school’s ranking and test results improved from the previous year, especially in science, which rose nearly 10 percentage points.

Families should note that performance varies by grade. Results are generally strongest in grades 6–8, particularly in math, ELA, and eighth-grade science. Eighth-grade math was 20.44 points above the district and 11.20 points above the state, while eighth-grade science was 20.51 points above the district. The main area needing attention is fifth-grade math, where proficiency was 36.36%, below both district and state results. Fourth-grade ELA was also slightly below the state. The school reports $18,221 in per-student spending and a 39.72% free- or reduced-price lunch rate; these figures provide context but do not by themselves explain academic outcomes.