Washington Elementary School, Kennewick WA

Original Research by School Decision on Washington Elementary School

Washington Elementary School is a regular public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Kennewick, Washington. It is part of the Kennewick School District, which covers the city and its surrounding area. The school sits in a city that is the most populous of the Tri-Cities, a region that has seen steady population growth and economic diversification. Kennewick’s economy includes manufacturing, food processing, retail, and services, with offices for Amazon and Lamb Weston, and it remains tied to the nearby Hanford Site and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The district itself has a bonds and levies program that funds construction and ongoing operations, with local voters deciding on measures.

Washington Elementary’s student body is diverse. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a high-poverty environment. The largest racial and ethnic groups are Hispanic students, followed by White students, with smaller shares of students who are two or more races, Asian, Black, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. The school serves only elementary grades, so there is no graduation rate, and state testing data covers grades three through five.

On state assessments, overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits above the midpoint among districts in Benton County, according to the available comparison. That puts the school in a middle tier relative to its neighbors, not at the top but not at the bottom. Within the school, results vary by grade and subject. In English language arts, proficiency rates were higher in third grade and fifth grade, and lower in fourth grade. In math, third and fourth grade rates were similar and stronger than the fifth grade rate, which was notably lower. Science, tested only in fifth grade, showed a proficiency rate that was lower than the math and ELA rates for that grade. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand how supports are structured for the upper elementary grades, particularly in math and science.

The school’s academic program is not publicly described in the available data beyond the standard elementary curriculum. There is no information on course offerings, staffing ratios, or special programs such as magnet or Title I designation, though the high share of students from low-income households often means a school receives federal funding to support those students. Data on special education and English learner populations was not available, so families with children in those categories may want to ask the school directly about services.

Kennewick’s housing market has seen moderate home values and rents, and the city is described as having strong commercial demand and a growing population. The city’s major civic anchors include the Three Rivers Convention Center, Toyota Center, and Southridge Sports and Events Complex, and the Columbia River waterfront provides recreational access. The built environment is a mix of residential neighborhoods, commercial corridors, and industrial areas, with limited specific walkability data. The district’s capital planning is driven by enrollment growth projections, and the broader Tri-Cities area is one of the fastest-growing in the state.

For a family considering Washington Elementary, the school offers a standard elementary experience in a growing, economically diverse city. The student body is low-income and majority Hispanic, and the school’s state test results are in the middle of the county pack, with some soft spots in upper-grade math and science. The district’s reliance on local bond and levy measures means that funding for facilities and programs depends on voter approval. Beyond that, the available data does not provide a fuller picture of classroom environment, extracurricular offerings, or student support services, so a visit or conversation with the school would be a valuable next step.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 342%

School 42% · District 47% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 441%

School 41% · District 45% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 525%

School 25% · District 38% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 342%

School 42% · District 44% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 432%

School 32% · District 46% · ▼ 15 pts below district

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

Grade 543%

School 43% · District 52% · ▼ 9 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 528%

School 28% · District 46% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

This schoolKennewick 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-income41%Higher-income44%3 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income21%Higher-income46%26 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income33%Higher-income79%45 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income37%Higher-income52%15 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income33%Higher-income50%17 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income20%Higher-income43%23 pp gap