Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 98501

ZIP code 98501 has eight elementary schools serving about 3,428 students, primarily in grades PK–5 or K–5, plus K–8 Washington Connections Academy – Mary M. Knight; the schools are located in the Olympia School District, Tumwater School District, and Mary M. Knight School District. Together, they offer a wide range of academic performance, school sizes, and program types.

The strongest traditional elementary options are McKenny Elementary, Pioneer Elementary School, Centennial Elementary, and East Olympia Elementary. McKenny ranks highest overall and has the best math and science results, along with the largest recent gains. Pioneer leads in all-grades ELA and has especially strong third-grade ELA and math results. Centennial is another strong choice, particularly for ELA, while East Olympia shows solid, improving math performance. Across the ZIP code, science is the strongest subject: the average school science proficiency rate is about 62%, well above the state average of 51%. Families comparing districts should note that the Olympia schools occupy much of the top of the local rankings, while East Olympia is a strong Tumwater option.

The remaining schools have more mixed results. Lincoln Elementary School stands out for excellent science performance but has weaker ELA and math results. Peter G Schmidt Elementary is around the middle of the local group, with science stronger than ELA and math. Madison Elementary School has the greatest recent concern among traditional schools, especially in math, after notable declines in ELA and math. Washington Connections Academy – Mary M. Knight reports the lowest scores, but it serves K–8 and likely uses a different instructional model, so its all-grade results are not directly comparable with K–5 schools. Parents should also consider grade-specific results, school size, support needs, and program format rather than relying on rankings alone.