The top reported proficiency rate is 53% in Science. The lowest is 50% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Carrolls Elementary
Carrolls Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in the Kelso School District, a regular public school on the south side of the city. It is a small school, and its enrollment reflects that scale. The student body is predominantly white, with a notable share of Hispanic students and a small number of Asian and multiracial students. A substantial portion of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating that the school serves a community with significant economic need. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source records.
The school’s performance on Washington’s state assessments shows a clear pattern by grade level. In third grade, a majority of students met the bar in both English language arts and math, with the math result particularly strong. By fourth and fifth grades, the share of students scoring proficient dropped, especially in math, where fewer than half of students reached that benchmark. Fifth-grade science scores landed in the middle, with about half of students meeting the standard. When looked at across all tested grades and subjects, Carrolls Elementary broadly lands in the top quartile of schools within its comparison set, which is relative to districts in Cowlitz County. That top-quartile position is driven heavily by the strong third-grade results and is worth noting because it sits alongside a noticeable drop in performance as students move through the grades. A parent may want to ask the school about how it supports math and literacy growth in the upper elementary years, especially given that the cohort sizes are small and individual students’ results can shift the overall picture.
Kelso itself is a small, auto-oriented city and the county seat of Cowlitz County, sitting across the Cowlitz River from Longview. Its economy remains tied to wood products and natural resource industries, though it also serves as a government and services hub. Housing in the area, measured across the zip code that includes the school, shows home values and rents that have both increased recently. The typical home value in that area sits below the statewide Washington benchmark but above the national benchmark. Rents have risen notably over the past year. The combination of modest incomes in the broader community and rising housing costs could matter for families considering the area.
The Kelso School District, which oversees Carrolls Elementary along with two middle schools and several other elementary schools, did not have publicly reported information available in the search conducted about recent referendums, bonds, or major district-level changes. That gap means there is no record of a recent facility investment, boundary shift, or program expansion to report. A parent moving to the area who wants to understand the district’s direction would need to follow up directly with the district for that context.
For a family considering this school, the picture is a mixed one. The early grades show a strong academic start, and the small size means children are likely to be known well by staff. The later elementary grades show more inconsistent results, particularly in math, and the school’s overall profile is one where the majority of students come from lower-income households. There is no information on programs such as gifted education, arts offerings, or extended learning, which is a gap a parent would want to fill by visiting or contacting the school. The neighborhood is low-density and car-dependent, with limited walkability outside a small downtown core. This school fits a family that values a small, neighborhood-based elementary experience and is comfortable following up directly with the school and district for details that are not in the public record.
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