The top reported proficiency rate is 48% in Math. The lowest is 40% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Central Park Elementary
Central Park Elementary serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade in the Aberdeen School District, on the Washington coast. As a regular public elementary school, it offers the standard academic program for this grade band, with no charter or magnet designation noted in the data.
The school is small, fitting a community where families know each other by name. The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population representing a substantial share of the enrollment and small numbers of students who are American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, or of two or more races. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available. A clear majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high-need population and a school where federal meal programs play a central role in daily operations.
State test results from the most recent year show a pattern that varies by grade and subject in ways that parents should look into further. In math, fourth graders performed at a level that stands out as a clear strength. Third graders were about evenly split between those who met the bar and those who did not. Fifth graders saw a lower share reach proficiency, a drop that the school may want to examine. In English language arts, fourth graders again outperformed the other tested grades, while both third and fifth graders had a smaller share meeting the standard. Science, tested only in fifth grade, showed about the same result as that grade’s reading and math figures. Across all tested subjects and grades combined, the school’s proficiency index places it in the top quartile relative to districts in Grays Harbor County, which positions it favorably among its county peers despite the unevenness by grade.
The school sits within Aberdeen, the most populous city in Grays Harbor County and the economic hub of the region. Timber, fishing, and tourism have long anchored the local economy, though the city is diversifying into retail and other industries. The Port of Grays Harbor remains a major employer and a significant shipping point for logs, autos, and grain. Other large employers include a regional hospital, a state prison, sawmills, the Quinault Indian Nation, Ocean Spray, and Walmart. Housing is relatively affordable compared to statewide benchmarks, and rents have been rising modestly. The city’s population has been stable for about two decades. Downtown Aberdeen has a historic brick character, rebuilt after a fire, and the city provides bus transit through Grays Harbor Transit, with connections to Olympia. Aberdeen also serves as a gateway to Olympic National Park and the Pacific Coast.
In February 2022, district voters approved a replacement levy that funds educational programs, staffing, athletics, and extracurricular activities. This levy directly affects property taxes and the resources available at elementary schools like Central Park.
For a family considering this school, the picture is straightforward. The school is small and serves a community where many families face economic challenges. Academically, fourth grade is a clear bright spot, while other grades show more mixed results that would benefit from a conversation with the principal about what supports are in place and how they vary by age group. The county comparison suggests the school is performing well relative to nearby districts, but that broad measure includes the weaker fifth-grade scores. The housing market is affordable by state standards, and the local economy is stable though not booming. This is a school that fits a family seeking a small elementary setting in a working port city, with the understanding that academic performance is not uniform across all grades and that a closer look at the lower fifth-grade results is warranted.
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