The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in English language arts. The lowest is 63% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Silver Beach Elementary School
Silver Beach Elementary School is a regular public school in the Bellingham School District, serving preschool through fifth grade. Located in a city that blends a residential university-town character with commercial and industrial elements, the school draws from one of Bellingham’s neighborhoods. Bellingham is the county seat of Whatcom County and home to Western Washington University; its median household income sits below the county median, and a notable share of adults hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. The city’s industrial waterfront has been redeveloping into mixed-use neighborhoods since the 2000s, and the city as a whole has seen steady population growth alongside rising housing costs. The district itself has seen recent investment: in 2022 voters approved a capital bond and a technology levy funding facility improvements and student technology through 2026. The district has also been expanding its International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program across elementary schools, though Silver Beach is not listed among the schools that have adopted the IB PYP.
The student body is small for an elementary school serving this grade span. The school’s demographic composition is predominantly white, with a much smaller share of students who are Hispanic, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Over one-tenth of students identify as two or more races. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is modest compared to many public schools. Data on the percentage of students with individualized education plans and English learner status were not available, and a parent may want to clarify the school’s support in these areas directly.
On state assessments administered in the 2024-25 school year, Silver Beach’s results place it in the top quartile among tested schools in Whatcom County, a position based on overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. This is a strong showing relative to its county peers. Looking at individual grade-level results, third and fourth graders posted proficiency rates in English language arts that were solid, while fifth graders had a lower rate. In math, third and fourth graders also performed well, with proficiency rates that were solid; fifth graders again showed a lower rate. On the fifth-grade science assessment, proficiency was lower than the upper elementary ELA and math results but roughly in line with the fifth-grade ELA figure. The pattern suggests that for families considering this school, the early elementary years are a particular strength, while the transition to fifth grade may be an area of focus. Because only one year of assessment data was available, it is not possible to determine trend direction.
No information was available on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, staffing ratios, or course access. For a school serving only elementary grades, graduation rate data does not apply.
The school is located in Bellingham, a city bisected by Interstate 5 with a traditional grid street pattern in older neighborhoods. The downtown core and the historic Fairhaven district are the primary walkable areas with street-level commercial activity, and Whatcom Creek runs through the center of the city. Western Washington University is immediately south of downtown in the Sehome neighborhood, effectively integrated into the city center. The school itself is on Academy Street, a location that sits within the broader residential fabric of the city. The housing market in the school’s zip code shows home values that are above the national median, and rents are at a level that may be a consideration for families. The city’s major employers include PeaceHealth, Western Washington University, the City of Bellingham, Whatcom County, and the Port of Bellingham, giving the area a stable base of professional and public-sector jobs.
For a family weighing this school, the central takeaway is that Silver Beach is a neighborhood elementary school with a small enrollment and a clear academic strength in the early elementary grades, as reflected in its top-quartile county position. The student body is not particularly economically diverse by free-lunch measures, and the racial composition leans heavily white, which matters contextually but is not itself an evaluative judgment. The district’s recent capital investment and the city’s growth context suggest a community that is investing in its public infrastructure, even as housing affordability is tight. A parent interested in depth of inquiry-based learning options may want to check which elementary schools in the district have adopted the IB PYP, given that Silver Beach is not among the eight mentioned.
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