Columbia Valley Garden Elem Schl, Longview WA

Original Research by School Decision on Columbia Valley Garden Elem Schl

Columbia Valley Garden Elementary is a regular public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Longview, Washington, part of the Longview School District. As an elementary school it does not have a graduation rate, and no chronic absenteeism data was reported. The school has a single year of state assessment results available, for the 2024–25 school year, so no trend line is yet established.

On the state tests in math, English language arts, and science, Columbia Valley Garden posted an overall proficiency index that places it in the top quartile relative to districts in Cowlitz County. Within that composite, performance varies by grade and subject. Third graders and fifth graders showed stronger results in both math and reading, while fourth grade dipped noticeably in both subjects. Science results for fifth graders were also solid. A parent looking at the fourth-grade year in particular may want to ask the school about instructional supports and curriculum pacing for that grade level; the pattern is not unusual in elementary schools but worth understanding.

The student body is moderately diverse. The majority of students are white, and a substantial share—about half—qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a marker that many families come from lower-income backgrounds. Hispanic students make up roughly one in seven of the enrollment. Small numbers of Black, Asian, American Indian, and multiracial students are also present. Data on students with disabilities (IEP) and English learners was not provided in the state file, which is a notable gap; a family whose child receives special education services or is learning English would want to contact the school directly to understand what support is available. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and serves a neighborhood population.

Longview itself is a planned industrial city dating to the 1920s, with a layout that separates residential, commercial, and manufacturing zones. The timber and paper industry has been the historical backbone, though manufacturing has diversified into chemicals, port cargo, and other sectors. The city’s population growth has been modest and steady; housing values in the zip code are below the Washington state median but above the national median, and rents are moderate relative to typical incomes. The built environment includes mid-century and Craftsman homes, a historic Civic Center, and Lake Sacajawea Park as a central gathering space. Daily life is a mix of walkable downtown areas and car dependence given the industrial corridors and Interstate 5 proximity.

The district recently closed its Special Services school after the 2022–23 school year, according to the state report card. That closure may affect how the district delivers specialized programming, including for students who previously attended that site. For families at Columbia Valley Garden who have children with significant needs, it is worth asking how the district now serves those students within the elementary schools.

Columbia Valley Garden is a school that, by the available data, delivers above-average academic results for its county, set in a middle-income community with a working-class industrial character. The dip in fourth-grade performance is a soft spot worth exploring, and the absence of IEP and EL data means families with those specific interests need to dig further. It fits families looking for a solid neighborhood elementary in a city with a strong civic identity and incremental growth, where the housing market is more affordable than much of Washington.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 359%

School 59% · District 44% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Grade 445%

School 45% · District 43% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 558%

School 58% · District 33% · ▲ 25 pts above district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 363%

School 63% · District 40% · ▲ 23 pts above district

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

Grade 442%

School 42% · District 38% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 8 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 569%

School 69% · District 43% · ▲ 27 pts above district

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 24 pts above county median

Science

Grade 568%

School 68% · District 42% · ▲ 25 pts above district

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

This schoolLongview 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-income48%Higher-income74%26 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income28%Higher-income59%31 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income54%Higher-income84%30 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income36%Higher-income77%41 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income36%Higher-income55%19 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income43%Higher-income73%30 pp gap