The top reported proficiency rate is 46% in English language arts. The lowest is 35% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Emerson Elementary School
Emerson Elementary School, a regular public school in the Everett School District, serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The school is located on the southeast side of Everett, a city that functions both as a major industrial hub—anchored by Boeing and Naval Station Everett—and as a bedroom community for Seattle. The surrounding housing market carries a premium, with home values and rents that are elevated relative to national benchmarks, making this an area where housing costs are a significant consideration for families.
The student body is diverse and economically mixed. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a rate that is notably high. The largest demographic groups are Hispanic students and White students, followed by smaller populations of students who are Asian, Black, and of two or more races. Data on the share of students with individualized education programs and English learner status was not available in the source materials; a parent may want to ask the school directly about these populations.
State testing results from the 2024-25 school year provide a mixed picture of academic performance. In English language arts, the school’s overall combined proficiency across tested grades landed near the middle of the range for schools in the district. At individual grade levels, fourth-grade proficiency was higher than the school-wide average, while third-grade proficiency was lower and fifth-grade proficiency fell in between. In math, the pattern was less consistent: fourth-grade proficiency was the clear standout, exceeding the school average by a noticeable margin, while third-grade and fifth-grade proficiency were both below that average and quite close to one another. In science, only fifth-graders are tested, and the proficiency rate was a soft spot relative to the school’s own reading and math results. Compared with other elementary schools countywide, Emerson’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits below the midpoint among districts in Snohomish County. Because the state testing data covers only a single school year, no trend information is available to show whether performance has been improving or declining.
This is a large elementary school by enrollment, with each grade from kindergarten through first grade having a higher population than the upper elementary grades of three through five. Pre-kindergarten serves a smaller cohort, as is common for that grade level. The school reports no data on chronic absenteeism or discipline, and no information on staffing ratios or class sizes was provided in the source data. Course access beyond the standard elementary curriculum was not detailed, so a parent should inquire about enrichment offerings, arts, and physical education.
The district itself has been through recent changes that directly affect Emerson families. In 2022, voters approved a major bond for school construction and facility improvements after a similar measure had failed months earlier. The bond funds safety upgrades, HVAC and roof replacements, classroom additions, and a new elementary school. In 2024, voters approved a replacement levy for programs and operations after an earlier version had failed the same year; the levy supports teachers, special education, athletics, music, and arts. The district has also implemented several rounds of boundary changes in recent years, including elementary boundary adjustments approved in 2024 to take effect for the 2025-26 school year, driven by some schools being over capacity while others are under capacity. Emerson families should be aware that attendance boundaries may shift.
For a family considering this school, the central considerations are the student body’s economic diversity, the school’s size, and academic results that are strongest in fourth grade but weaker in the lower and upper elementary grades, particularly in math for third and fifth graders and in fifth-grade science. The school is a regular public neighborhood school within a district that has invested heavily in facilities and programs through recent ballot measures, but those same measures reflect a community that has had to work through repeated ballot attempts. The housing market is expensive, which may shape the socioeconomic mix of families who can afford to live nearby. A parent wanting to understand special education or English learner support will need to follow up with the school directly, as that data was not reported.
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