The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in Science. The lowest is 57% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Simpson Avenue Elementary
Simpson Avenue Elementary is a regular public school in Montesano, Washington, serving grades three through six. Because it covers only upper elementary and middle elementary years, it does not have a high school graduation rate—that metric simply does not apply here. The school sits within the Montesano School District, which serves a small county-seat town that blends residential neighborhoods, a compact downtown, and a surrounding landscape of working farms and timberland. The town is known as the birthplace of the American Tree Farm System, and the city itself manages a municipal forest with miles of hiking and biking trails. Lake Sylvia State Park lies within the city limits, and the historic Grays Harbor County Courthouse anchors the downtown corridor.
On state assessments, Simpson Avenue Elementary shows a pattern that is generally solid, with some variation by grade and subject. The school’s overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades places it among the top quarter of districts in Grays Harbor County. That is a strong position within its local context. Looking more closely, math proficiency ranges from about half of students meeting the bar in fourth and sixth grades to about two-thirds in fifth grade, with third grade in between. English language arts proficiency follows a similar shape: roughly two-thirds of third graders and nearly three-quarters of fifth graders are proficient, while fourth and sixth graders hover around the halfway mark. Science is tested only in fifth grade, and the result there is around two-thirds proficient. In short, fifth grade stands out as a stronger year across subjects, while fourth and sixth grades show more modest results. A parent considering the school may want to ask how the school addresses the dip in the upper grades.
The student body reflects the demographics of the larger community. The largest share of students are white, with a notable Hispanic population and smaller groups of students who are Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, Black, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and two or more races. Roughly two in five students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a mix of economic backgrounds. Total enrollment is moderate for the four-grade span, with each grade level holding roughly comparable numbers. Special education and English learner counts were not reported in the data, so those details are not available here.
Housing in the Montesano area is priced at a level that is noticeably below the Washington state benchmark, making it more affordable than many parts of the state. The local economy is anchored by county government, the school district, and the surrounding timber and agriculture industries. The town has experienced slow, steady population growth in recent years, and recent infrastructure investment has focused on flood resilience along the Wynoochee River rather than on large-scale residential expansion. The development trajectory is incremental, preserving a small-town character.
Student support and programming are funded in part by a voter-approved replacement Educational Programs and Operations levy that passed in early 2024. The levy maintains a stable tax rate and covers curriculum and technology, including one-to-one devices, extracurricular activities such as athletics and clubs, special education services beyond what the state provides, and safety upgrades. This is the district’s primary local funding mechanism, and it runs through the 2028 collection year. For families, this means that a clear local commitment to maintaining programs is in place for the near term.
Simpson Avenue Elementary fits a family looking for a school that performs well relative to its county peers, set in a small town with an outdoor-oriented identity, affordable housing, and a stable if slowly growing community. The academic results are strongest in fifth grade and somewhat lower in fourth and sixth, so a parent of a child entering those grades may want to understand how the school supports students through those transitions. The school offers a regular public school pathway with no special charter or magnet designation. For a family considering relocation or school choice within Grays Harbor County, the top-quartile district comparison is a meaningful point of reference.
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