The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in English language arts. The lowest is 54% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Westhill Elementary
Westhill Elementary serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade and is one of the elementary schools in the Northshore School District, located in Bothell, a predominantly suburban city straddling King and Snohomish counties. The school draws from the surrounding residential neighborhoods, which are largely single-family homes, in a city that has experienced rapid growth over recent decades. Bothell’s economy is anchored by biotechnology and high-tech companies, and the city has seen significant downtown redevelopment and residential densification since the 2010s.
The school’s enrollment is mid-sized for its grade band. The student body is racially and ethnically diverse, with the largest group being white students, followed by a substantial Asian population, and smaller shares of Hispanic, two-or-more-races, and Black students. Fewer than one in five students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the extent and structure of those support services.
On state assessments, Westhill’s performance varies noticeably by subject and grade level. In English language arts, the strongest showing is in fourth grade, where a solid majority of students met proficiency, while third and fifth graders also posted proficiency rates above the state midpoint. Math results are more uneven. Fourth graders performed quite well, with a clear majority proficient, and third graders also showed a healthy proficiency rate. Fifth grade math, however, was a soft spot, with fewer than half of students reaching proficiency. In science, which is tested only in fifth grade, just about half of students were proficient. Across all tested subjects and grades combined, the school’s overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint when compared with other schools in King County, which tells a parent that academic performance is generally stronger than many peers in the region, but the drop in fifth-grade math is large enough to warrant a conversation with the school about how that transition is supported.
Because Westhill only serves elementary grades, there is no graduation rate or chronic absenteeism data to report, and the school does not offer the kinds of advanced coursework or career pathways that appear at the secondary level. The school’s district, Northshore School District, recently opened Ruby Bridges Elementary in the northern part of the district, a change that shifted attendance boundaries for some families and added capacity. That kind of boundary adjustment can matter for a family considering where to live, since elementary attendance zones often change when new schools open.
The housing context is a central part of deciding whether this school fits a family. Home values in the zip code are high, well above the national benchmark, though they have softened somewhat recently. Rents are also elevated. The median listing price in King County, where Westhill is located, is high, and the market has seen an increase in active listings, giving buyers somewhat more choice than a year ago. The combination of high housing costs and the school’s solid but uneven academic profile means a parent should weigh whether the neighborhood’s premium aligns with the specific academic support their child might need, particularly in upper elementary math.
For a family looking for a well-regarded elementary school in a fast-growing, amenity-rich suburban city with strong high-tech employment and a walkable downtown corridor, Westhill is a plausible fit. For a parent concerned about a specific grade-level dip in math, or one who wants detailed information on special education or English learner services, the school’s missing data in those areas means that a direct visit or call is the only way to get a clear picture. The school’s overall strengths are in literacy and early elementary math, and its peer environment reflects the broader demographics of an affluent, diversifying suburb.
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