Mccleary School District, WA

Original Research by School Decision on Mccleary School District

McCleary School District serves the small Grays Harbor County community of McCleary, Washington, and the surrounding area, providing education from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Because the district does not include a high school, families looking ahead to ninth grade will need to plan for a transition to a neighboring district for the upper grades. The district operates a single elementary school, McCleary Elementary, which houses all of its students.

The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population making up a meaningful share and a smaller number of students identifying as two or more races. The district is small, and the enrollment across the grades is fairly even, giving each grade a cohort of roughly the same size. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, as well as counts of students with disabilities and English learners, was not available in the source data, so a full picture of the district's economic and support needs is not possible from this information alone.

On state assessments, McCleary School District’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile among Grays Harbor County’s districts. This is a meaningful strength for a small district. In English language arts, proficiency rates vary by grade, with the highest performance in eighth grade and the lowest in fifth grade. Math proficiency rates are lower across the board, with the strongest showing in third grade and eighth grade, and a notable dip in fifth and seventh grades. Science results, available for fifth and eighth grades, show a solid majority of students meeting the standard in eighth grade, with a smaller majority in fifth grade. Because the data covers only a single school year, there is no trend information to show whether these results are improving or declining.

The district’s chronic absenteeism rate, while still a concern, is among the lowest in Grays Harbor County, placing it in a more favorable position relative to its peers. Per-pupil spending falls in the lower range among the county’s districts, which may reflect the district’s small size and the absence of a high school.

Housing in the McCleary area is more affordable than the Washington state average, with home values well below the state benchmark. The district draws from two ZIP codes, one covering McCleary itself and the other the nearby community of Oakville. Home values in both areas are similar, and the overall housing market has seen modest appreciation. For context, the national median household income and the current 30-year mortgage rate are typical reference points, but the district’s own median household income was not available in the source data.

The district’s chronic absenteeism rate, while still a concern, is among the lowest in Grays Harbor County, meaning a smaller share of students are missing substantial amounts of school compared to many neighboring districts. Per-pupil spending is in the lower range among the county’s districts, which may reflect the district’s size and grade configuration.

The district recently adopted a new strategic plan covering 2024 through 2027, developed with community input. The plan focuses on student success, staff effectiveness, communication and community engagement, and financial stability. It includes commitments to adopt new curriculum, develop consistent instructional expectations across multiple tiers, and implement school safety measures. This plan gives families a clear sense of the district’s priorities for the next several years.

For a small district serving only elementary and middle school grades, McCleary shows a relative strength in overall academic performance compared to other Grays Harbor County districts, particularly in English language arts and science. Math proficiency is an area where results are more mixed, and families may want to ask the school about how math instruction is structured across the grades. The absence of high school means that students will need to transition to another district for ninth grade, and families should consider what options are available in the region for that next step. The district’s new strategic plan provides a transparent roadmap for what the school is working toward, which can be a useful reference for parents evaluating the direction of the district.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

350

Grades

PK–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 12%

White 77%

Two+ 9%

Am. Indian / AK Native 1%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 1%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

43%

67%

Gr 4

36%

63%

Gr 5

35%

37%

Gr 6

—

44%

Gr 7

30%

68%

Gr 8

62%

—

Math

Gr 3

43%

67%

Gr 4

36%

44%

Gr 5

24%

26%

Gr 6

—

44%

Gr 7

—

37%

Gr 8

33%

50%

Science

Gr 5

53%

52%

Gr 8

62%

67%

Schools in this District

1 schools are officially reported under this district.

Mccleary Elem

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

56%

Grade 3

40%

Grade 4

25%

Grade 5

31%

Grade 6

26%

Grade 7

42%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

56%

Grade 3

50%

Grade 4

36%

Grade 5

38%

Grade 6

49%

Grade 7

68%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

53%

Grade 5

64%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$389,581

Year-over-year change+1.1%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$381K to $390K

vs. state typical0.64x

vs. national typical1.06x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
98557	McCleary	$390K	+1.0%	91.8%
98568	Oakville	$381K	+2.4%	8.2%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,966/mo

Home price / national median income4.7x

Comparison

State typical home value$604,087 (-0.6% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.