The top reported proficiency rate is 12% in English language arts. The lowest is 9% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Captain Gray Stem Elementary
Captain Gray STEM Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Pasco, Washington. As a regular public school with a science, technology, engineering, and math focus, it sits within the Pasco School District. The school is one of several elementaries serving a city that has been growing rapidly, particularly in the West Pasco area, where new housing tracts and shopping centers have transformed the landscape over the last two decades.
The student body is almost entirely Hispanic, with a very small share of white students and even fewer from other racial backgrounds. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school in a high-poverty context. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the provided records, so a family would need to ask the school directly about those supports.
State testing results from the 2024-25 school year are available for math, English language arts, and science. Across all three subjects and every tested grade level, the share of students meeting proficiency standards is low. In math, proficiency rates are in the single digits for grades three, four, and five. In English language arts, rates are slightly higher but still low, in the low teens. The science test, administered only in fifth grade, shows a similar pattern. Because only one year of assessment data was provided, there is no trend to compare against; these numbers represent a single snapshot. Compared with other districts in Franklin County, the school’s overall proficiency index falls in the bottom quartile. A parent reviewing these results would want to look into what academic interventions and supports the school offers, particularly in foundational literacy and math, and how the school’s STEM designation translates into classroom instruction for students who are not yet meeting benchmarks.
The school’s name signals a focus on STEM, but the available data does not describe specific programs, course access, or enrichment offerings. Given the elementary grade span, STEM is likely integrated into the regular curriculum through hands-on science and math activities, rather than separate elective pathways. A family interested in a strong STEM emphasis should ask the school directly about lab time, technology integration, project-based learning, and any partnerships with local employers or colleges that might enrich the experience.
Pasco itself is a fast-growing city in the Tri-Cities region, historically rooted in agriculture and rail and now seeing significant residential and commercial expansion on its west side. The housing market reflects that growth: home values in the area are below the state average but above the national median, and rents have been rising. The combination of a growing population and a high-poverty school means families moving into newer developments may find themselves in a school that is still developing its academic track record. The district has passed a major bond measure to fund a new high school, opened a digital learning academy, and purchased land for future elementary or middle schools, all signs of a system responding to enrollment pressure.
Captain Gray STEM Elementary serves a young, largely Hispanic, high-poverty population, and its state test scores are low across the board. A family considering this school should treat the STEM designation as a starting point for inquiry, not as a guarantee of advanced programming. The broader context of a rapidly growing district with new schools and facilities on the horizon may matter for families planning to stay in the area long term. For someone weighing options, the key questions are what the school is doing to move proficiency upward and how the STEM focus actually operates day to day in a building where most students are still developing foundational skills.
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