The top reported proficiency rate is 50% in English language arts. The lowest is 30% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Neely O Brien Elementary School
Neely O Brien Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in the Kent School District, a large suburban district in King County. The school sits in a city that is itself a major manufacturing and distribution hub, home to corporate headquarters like Blue Origin and Oberto Sausage Company, as well as large facilities for Amazon, Boeing, and Whirlpool. Kent is divided into three distinct areas: West Hill, the Valley, and East Hill, and the school’s location on South 236th Street places it in a residential part of this sprawling, car-dependent city. The city has seen significant growth through annexation and is undergoing transit expansions, including a planned light rail extension and a new bus rapid transit line.
Neely O Brien Elementary is a regular public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of the Kent School District, which has recently made several notable changes. In 2023, voters approved a capital bond that funded a new middle school and safety upgrades across the district, as well as a technology levy and an enrichment levy. The district also shifted to standards-based grading for elementary schools starting in the 2023-2024 school year, meaning students are assessed against specific learning standards rather than receiving traditional letter grades. More recently, the school board voted to close two elementary schools in response to a budget shortfall driven by declining enrollment and the expiration of COVID relief funds. A levy lid lift was approved in 2024, increasing local property-tax revenue for school programs.
The student body at Neely O Brien is diverse. The largest demographic group is Hispanic students, followed by Black students, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander students, Asian students, White students, and students of two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on the share of students with an Individualized Education Program or who are English learners was not available in the source data.
State testing results from the 2024-2025 school year are available for math, English language arts, and science. In English language arts, proficiency rates were above the midpoint for third and fourth grade, while fifth grade was lower. In math, proficiency rates were lower across all three tested grades, with a notable drop in fifth grade. In science, the fifth-grade proficiency rate was also low. Overall, the school's combined proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades sits below the midpoint when compared with other districts in King County. Because this is a single year of data, there is no trend to examine. A parent may want to discuss these results with the school to understand how the school supports students who are not yet meeting the state standard.
The school's enrollment is moderate for an elementary school. The student body is majority Hispanic, with significant representation of Black students and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander students. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic need. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report.
Housing in the area around the school reflects the broader King County market, where home values are high and the rental market is expensive. The typical home value in the zip code is above the national benchmark but below the state benchmark, and rents are similarly elevated. The county housing market shows a moderate number of active listings and a median listing price that is high by national standards. For families considering a move to the area, the cost of housing is a significant factor.
The school itself is a regular public school with no charter or magnet designation. Information on Title I status, discipline rates, course access, staffing ratios, and attendance was not available in the source data. The district has recently implemented standards-based grading at the elementary level, which changes how student progress is reported. For a family considering Neely O Brien, the key factors are the school's diverse student body, the high level of economic need, the below-midpoint state test results, and the broader district context of recent bond passage, school closures, and a shift in grading philosophy.
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