Parkside Elementary, Des Moines WA

Original Research by School Decision on Parkside Elementary

Parkside Elementary is a regular public school in Des Moines, Washington, serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade within the Highline Public Schools district. It sits in a mid-sized suburban waterfront city on Puget Sound, roughly midway between Seattle and Tacoma, with a mix of housing across income levels and a small downtown shopping district near the marina. Highline College is nearby, and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is a short distance north, meaning aircraft noise has affected some properties. The city has been actively seeking development, and a planned light rail station near the college, set to open soon, could bring change to the area.

The school’s state assessment results from the most recent testing year show that proficiency rates in math, English language arts, and science are lower than what is typical across King County districts. Across the three tested grades, math proficiency was in the range of roughly one-fifth to just under one-third of students, while English language arts was similar, with one grade notably lower. Science, tested only in fifth grade, was also below where many schools in the county sit. When compared with other districts in King County, Parkside Elementary’s overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile. A parent may want to look into how the school supports students who are behind, especially since the data covers only a single school year, making it impossible to gauge whether performance is improving or declining from prior years.

The student body is diverse, with no single racial or ethnic group forming a majority. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating that the school serves a community with significant economic need. Data on the share of students with disabilities or those learning English was not available in the source information, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the supports available for those populations.

Parkside is part of Highline Public Schools, which has been in the midst of a multiyear school modernization program. Some schools have moved to interim sites while buildings are rebuilt or relocated, including Pacific Middle School, which serves Parkside’s attendance area. The district has also been expanding its choice school options, such as Maritime High School and Innovation Heights Academy, giving families alternative secondary pathways. For an elementary school, these district-level changes may affect future feeder patterns and the options available when students move to middle and high school.

The community itself is primarily residential, with walkable areas concentrated near the waterfront. Most of the city’s elementary schools, including Parkside, are spread throughout the neighborhoods rather than clustered downtown. Housing values and rents in the area are high relative to national averages, though the city markets itself as offering opportunities across income levels. A parent considering Parkside Elementary should weigh the low test results against the district’s ongoing investments in facilities and school choice, and likely visit the school to understand what classroom instruction and enrichment look like day to day.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 329%

School 29% · District 37% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 31 pts below county median

Grade 415%

School 15% · District 28% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 32 pts below state median · ▼ 44 pts below county median

Grade 521%

School 21% · District 50% · ▼ 29 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 34 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 331%

School 31% · District 33% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Grade 415%

School 15% · District 29% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 34 pts below state median · ▼ 42 pts below county median

Grade 530%

School 30% · District 34% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 33 pts below county median

Science

Grade 523%

School 23% · District 34% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 29 pts below state median · ▼ 38 pts below county median

This schoolHighline 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-income27%Higher-income48%21 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income13%Higher-income28%15 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income23%Higher-income67%44 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income37%Higher-income78%41 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income24%Higher-income48%24 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income11%Higher-income33%22 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income17%Higher-income42%25 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income35%Higher-income69%33 pp gap