Terminal Park Elementary School, Auburn WA

Original Research by School Decision on Terminal Park Elementary School

Terminal Park Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school in the Auburn School District. The school is located on the southeast side of Auburn, a mid-sized suburb in the Seattle metropolitan area. Auburn itself has a mix of residential neighborhoods, a historic downtown core around the Auburn Station transit hub, and a significant industrial presence anchored by the Boeing Company’s large airplane parts plant. The city has grown through annexations and planned communities such as Lakeland Hills, and it includes the Muckleshoot Indian Reservation on its southern border. While the city’s population has seen a slight recent decline, the area remains a commuter-oriented part of King County with typical suburban road networks.

The student body at Terminal Park is diverse. A substantial share of students come from households that qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a high-needs population. The largest racial or ethnic group is Hispanic, followed by White students, and then smaller but notable shares of students who are Asian, Black, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and of two or more races. The school enrolls a moderate number of students for a K-5 building, with a fairly even spread across grade levels. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the state reporting used here, and families may wish to ask the school directly about the support services available for those groups.

Academically, Terminal Park’s most recent state test results from the 2024-2025 school year show a mixed picture. In both math and English language arts, fourth-grade students performed noticeably stronger than their third- and fifth-grade counterparts, with proficiency rates that were higher across the board for that grade. Fifth-grade science results were within a similar range. When all tested grades and subjects are combined, the school’s overall proficiency index falls below the midpoint among districts in King County. This is a soft spot that means many students are not yet meeting state standards, and a parent considering the school may want to learn more about the instructional strategies and support programs the school uses to raise achievement, particularly in the lower and upper elementary grades.

Because Terminal Park serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and state chronic absenteeism data was not available in this snapshot. The school is part of the Auburn School District, which has laid out a strategic plan running through 2027 that sets district-wide priorities for curriculum and instruction. The district is also engaged in major capital construction, reported in recent fiscal years, which likely means ongoing work on school buildings and facilities that could affect learning environments and attendance boundaries.

Housing in the immediate area around Terminal Park reflects the broader Auburn market. Home values in the zip code are moderate compared to much of King County, and rents are typical for the region. The countywide housing market has seen some softening, with active listings up and prices easing slightly, but demand remains. Auburn offers a range of housing from older neighborhoods near the downtown to newer planned communities on the hills.

For a family evaluating Terminal Park Elementary, the school presents a diverse, high-needs student body and academic results that are below average for the county, with relative bright spots at fourth grade. The lack of detail on special education and English learner services is a gap worth exploring. The broader district is investing in its facilities and has a stated strategic direction, which may bring changes in the coming years.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 340%

School 40% · District 49% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Grade 458%

School 58% · District 29% · ▲ 30 pts above district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 540%

School 40% · District 39% · ▲ 1 pts above district

even with state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 339%

School 39% · District 41% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Grade 455%

School 55% · District 36% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 541%

School 41% · District 46% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

Science

Grade 546%

School 46% · District 40% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

This schoolAuburn School District, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income40%Higher-income33%7 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income44%Higher-income73%29 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income31%Higher-income59%28 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income41%Higher-income39%2 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income46%Higher-income78%33 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income30%Higher-income59%29 pp gap