Schools in Zip Code 98597

Schools in ZIP code 98597 serve about 5,671 students across 10 elementary, middle, and high schools in the Yelm area, all part of Yelm School District, which ranks in the upper-middle range among Washington districts. The district includes six elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools, with enrollment ranging from 116 students at Yelm Extension School to 1,693 at Yelm High School 12. Overall, Science is generally the strongest subject, while Math is the most consistent challenge, particularly in middle school and at the high-school level.

Fort Stevens Elementary is the strongest overall school in the area, ranking in the 74th percentile statewide with a four-star rating and leading the elementary schools in ELA, Math, and Science. Yelm Prairie Elementary has an especially strong Science and Math profile, while Lackamas Elementary shows the largest recent improvement, rising to the 54th percentile after major gains in ELA and Science. Mill Pond Elementary School and McKenna Elementary sit near the middle of the elementary group. Southworth Elementary ranks lowest among the elementary schools, with results below district and state levels and recent declines, especially in Science and fifth-grade Math.

Yelm High School 12 is the stronger high-school option, ranking in the 64th percentile with an 82.2% graduation rate, although its Math proficiency is much lower than its ELA performance. Yelm Middle School and Ridgeline Middle School are closely matched overall; both perform better in Science than Math, with small subject-level advantages differing between them. Yelm Extension School serves a much smaller student population and has lower graduation and ranking results, so comparisons with the comprehensive high school should be made cautiously because the programs serve different student needs. Parents comparing schools should focus on the distinction between current achievement and recent momentum, especially the gains at Lackamas and the Math needs visible across multiple grade levels.