The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in Science. The lowest is 22% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Lincoln Elementary
Lincoln Elementary is a regular public school in Hoquiam, Washington, serving grades two through five. It is part of the Hoquiam School District. The school sits in the city’s northern residential area, an area that received a modernized pump station as part of the Chehalis Basin Strategy to protect against flooding. Hoquiam itself is a small city with a working-class, blue-collar texture rooted in its history as a lumbering, milling, and fishing center. Its population has been fairly stable in recent decades after a long decline from a mid-twentieth-century peak. The downtown holds historic landmarks such as the 7th Street Theatre and Olympic Stadium, and the city hosts seasonal festivals like the Shorebird Festival and Logger’s Playday. Housing values in the area are well below the statewide benchmark, and the national affordability ratio suggests that homeownership is relatively accessible compared to many parts of Washington. No major recent housing developments or population surges were identified in publicly reported information.
The school operates as a regular public school and is not a charter or magnet. The available data on academic performance comes from state assessments in math, English language arts, and science. In math, proficiency rates were below the midpoint of districts in Grays Harbor County across all tested grades. In English language arts, rates were also below that midpoint, though there was a slight upward trend from third to fifth grade. Science results for fifth graders were higher than in the other subjects but remained below the county median. Overall, the school’s combined proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Grays Harbor County. Only one year of assessment data was available, so no trend across multiple years could be examined. A parent may want to discuss with the school what academic supports are in place and how the school addresses gaps in foundational skills.
Enrollment is moderate for an elementary school serving these grades. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating a high level of economic need. The student body is predominantly white, with a notable Hispanic or Latino population and smaller shares of students identifying as two or more races, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not reported. No information on chronic absenteeism was available, which is a gap a parent may wish to explore with the district.
The Hoquiam School District itself did not have any recent publicly reported changes such as referendums, curriculum overhauls, or property tax shifts that would meet a threshold of lasting impact. No program offerings for Lincoln Elementary, such as music, art, or special academic tracks, were included in the data. The school’s website was not provided for further detail.
For a family considering this school, the picture is of a small, community-rooted elementary school in a town that prizes its independent identity and historic character. The housing market is relatively affordable compared to much of the state. Academically, the school faces clear challenges, with proficiency rates that trail those of most other districts in Grays Harbor County. The combination of high economic need and below-average achievement points to a setting where supplemental learning support and family engagement could be especially important. Lincoln Elementary serves a specific grade band, so a child would attend another school for kindergarten and first grade and then move on to a middle or junior high school afterward. Families may want to learn more about the full K-12 pathway in Hoquiam, including how this school’s curriculum prepares students for the next level. Without additional data on programs, staffing, or disciplinary climate, the available evidence highlights the school’s academic attainment as the most prominent area for further inquiry.
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