Pe Ell School, Pe Ell WA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Pe Ell School

Pe Ell School is the single campus of the Pe Ell School District, a regular public school serving preschool through twelfth grade in a small rural town in western Lewis County. The school occupies the same compact footprint as the rest of Pe Ell, sitting within a town that once bustled with timber mills, hotels, and an opera house but now counts a much smaller population. The town has experienced long-term population decline, and its infrastructure took a heavy hit from a major coastal storm that destroyed a key bridge and water main, prompting the community to briefly consider dissolving the town government. A 2025 Comprehensive Plan is in development, signaling ongoing planning, but no major new development was identified in available sources. The Willapa Hills Trail bisects the town, and nearby Rainbow Falls State Park anchors recreation. The school itself functions as a civic anchor for a community of this size.

The school enrolls a modest number of students across all grades, with the largest class in kindergarten and smaller cohorts through high school. The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares identifying as Hispanic, American Indian or Alaska Native, or two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Information on English learner enrollment and special education rates was not available in the data, nor were discipline, staffing, or attendance records.

Academically, Pe Ell School participates in Washington’s statewide assessments in math, English language arts, and science. Across tested grades and subjects, the school’s overall proficiency index placed it below the midpoint relative to districts in Lewis County. Results varied by grade level and subject. In the early elementary grades, a meaningful share of students met state benchmarks in both math and reading, but proficiency rates dropped noticeably by fifth grade in both subjects, and remained lower through eighth grade. Seventh grade ELA was a brighter spot, with a majority of students meeting the bar. Science assessments in fifth grade showed a stronger share of students proficient than in eighth grade. One grade-level result in sixth grade math was suppressed in state reporting, so no conclusion can be drawn there.

Because the school spans all grade levels, state data on graduation rates were expected but were not present in the available information. A parent may want to ask the school directly about its high school completion record. Similarly, chronic absenteeism data were not found. The school’s website and district materials may offer additional detail on these outcomes.

The school’s grade configuration means a student can attend the same campus from pre-K through high school graduation, which for many families provides continuity and a small-school environment. No information was available on specific course offerings, advanced coursework, career and technical education pathways, or dual-credit options, so a family interested in those should inquire with the school directly.

Pe Ell is a quiet, low-density town with limited commercial activity along Main Street, a veterans memorial, and a town hall. Housing values locally are modest relative to state and national benchmarks, with a recent small decline. The mortgage and rent landscape is shaped by broader economic conditions, with 30-year fixed rates around the national average and a national unemployment rate near historic lows. For families considering this area, the school is the central educational institution, and the broader community offers a small-town rural setting with historical roots in timber and agriculture, but also carries the realities of a declining population and aging infrastructure.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 346%

School 46% · District 46%

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 448%

School 48% · District 48%

even with state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Grade 511%

School 11% · District 11%

▼ 29 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Grade 744%

School 44% · District 44%

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 815%

School 15% · District 15%

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 342%

School 42% · District 42%

▼ 5 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 444%

School 44% · District 44%

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 519%

School 19% · District 19%

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

Grade 639%

School 39% · District 39%

▼ 8 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 761%

School 61% · District 61%

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Grade 835%

School 35% · District 35%

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Science

Grade 537%

School 37% · District 37%

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 820%

School 20% · District 20%

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

This schoolPe Ell 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.