Meadow Ridge Elementary, Mead WA

Original Research by School Decision on Meadow Ridge Elementary

Meadow Ridge Elementary serves students in Mead, an unincorporated suburb north of Spokane, as part of the Mead School District. The school is a regular public elementary school serving a relatively small enrollment for its preschool through grade five range. Its student body is predominantly White, with students identifying as two or more races making up about a tenth of the population, and smaller shares of Hispanic, Asian, Black, Native American, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a share that is on the lower side for the area but still marks a meaningful segment of the population.

On the 2024-25 state assessments, Meadow Ridge posted results that place it above the midpoint among the county's districts, in fact standing in the top quartile relative to districts in Spokane County. In English language arts, proficiency across tested grades fell consistently well above familiar benchmarks, with third grade showing a notably strong share of students meeting the mark. In mathematics, the school also performed well, though the results were a bit more moderate than in reading. Science results for fifth graders were strong, with a large majority of students demonstrating proficiency. For a parent, the pattern here is of a school where the typical student is performing solidly, and where the overall academic profile is a clear comparative strength within the region.

The school's grade span runs from preschool through grade five, so there is no graduation rate to examine, and the school environment data section did not contain details on chronic absenteeism, staffing ratios, or disciplinary patterns. A parent wanting to know about class sizes or the frequency of suspensions would need to ask the school or district directly. Similarly, the available data did not include counts of students receiving special education services or English learner supports, so a parent with a child who may need those services should confirm the school's capacity and staffing.

The Mead School District itself has been stable in its financial outlook. In 2023, voters approved a replacement educational programs and operations levy that runs through 2027, covering a substantial portion of the operating budget. That levy passage maintains funding for staff, curriculum, technology, athletics, and extracurriculars, which provides a measure of predictability for families in the district. The community of Mead is a suburban area with a commuter pattern, split by Deadman Creek into an older southern portion and newer northern development. It is car-dependent, connected to Spokane by major highways, and lacks a traditional pedestrian downtown. The district's two high schools share a newer community sports venue. Major employers in the area include the game development studio Cyan Worlds and the school district itself.

For a family, Meadow Ridge Elementary offers a setting where academic proficiency is a clear strength relative to the rest of Spokane County. The school serves a mostly White student body with moderate economic diversity, in a suburban community that is well-connected to Spokane but not walkable. The district's recent levy passage signals operating stability. A parent whose child needs special education or English language supports will want to follow up directly with the school, as those data were not available in the information reviewed.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 364%

School 64% · District 73% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 466%

School 66% · District 54% · ▲ 12 pts above district

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

Grade 566%

School 66% · District 52% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 25 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 372%

School 72% · District 57% · ▲ 15 pts above district

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

Grade 468%

School 68% · District 56% · ▲ 12 pts above district

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

Grade 574%

School 74% · District 64% · ▲ 10 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 578%

School 78% · District 64% · ▲ 14 pts above district

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

This schoolMead 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-income52%Higher-income82%30 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income50%Higher-income79%29 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income57%Higher-income83%27 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income55%Higher-income72%18 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income48%Higher-income73%25 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income46%Higher-income79%33 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income57%Higher-income71%15 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income41%Higher-income67%27 pp gap