Frank Wagner Elementary, Monroe WA

Original Research by School Decision on Frank Wagner Elementary

Frank Wagner Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Monroe, a city that blends a historic downtown with suburban growth. The school is part of the Monroe School District. The student body is sizable for an elementary school, and the demographics are clearly defined: a substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and a large majority of the student population identifies as Hispanic or Latino, with white students making up most of the remainder.

State assessment results are available for the most recent school year across math, English language arts, and science. In math, proficiency rates across grades three, four, and five were below the midpoint among tested elementary grades statewide. English language arts results followed a similar pattern, with the strongest grade showing a modestly higher proficiency rate than the other grades tested. In science, the only tested grade, fifth, also showed a rate that fell below the statewide average. When compared against all other districts in Snohomish County, the school’s overall proficiency index placed it in the bottom quartile. Because only a single year of assessment data was available, there is no trend to observe yet; a parent may want to ask the school about how these results compare to prior years or what supports are in place.

The school environment and peer context are shaped by the community it serves. Monroe sits at the junction of several highways and functions as a commercial hub for the Skykomish Valley while also housing a large state correctional complex and the Evergreen State Fairgrounds. The city has grown steadily, with residential development pushing westward toward Lake Tye. English is not the only language spoken in many homes; the district reports that more than two dozen languages are represented among its students. The school has not reported data on the share of students with disabilities or English learners, which makes it harder to fully assess the range of support the school provides.

Housing in the area carries a price well above the national median, and the typical mortgage payment far exceeds the typical rent, reflecting the broader affordability challenges of the region. The local unemployment rate is moderate by national standards.

Because Frank Wagner is an elementary school, it does not have a graduation rate, and no information was available on course access, discipline rates, staffing ratios, or chronic absenteeism. The district brief did not turn up any recent major changes such as bond measures or curriculum shifts that would affect a family’s decision.

For a family considering this school, the picture is straightforward. The student body is economically diverse, with a high proportion of families qualifying for income-based meal programs. Academic proficiency on state tests in the most recent year was lower than the county median in all tested subjects. The school serves a growing suburban community where housing costs are elevated. A parent may want to visit the school, speak with the principal about academic interventions and enrichment offerings, and understand how the school supports its multilingual population before making a decision.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 325%

School 25% · District 53% · ▼ 28 pts below district

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 32 pts below county median

Grade 428%

School 28% · District 51% · ▼ 22 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 25 pts below county median

Grade 519%

School 19% · District 48% · ▼ 29 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 317%

School 17% · District 48% · ▼ 31 pts below district

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 36 pts below county median

Grade 430%

School 30% · District 55% · ▼ 25 pts below district

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

Grade 529%

School 29% · District 57% · ▼ 28 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 527%

School 27% · District 59% · ▼ 32 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 31 pts below county median

This schoolMonroe 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-income12%Higher-income29%17 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income24%Higher-income53%29 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income27%Higher-income39%12 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income22%Higher-income32%10 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income22%Higher-income53%31 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income19%Higher-income22%4 pp gap