The top reported proficiency rate is 55% in Math. The lowest is 43% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Talbot Hill Elementary School
Talbot Hill Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in the Renton School District, a regular public school in a city that blends industrial heritage with suburban growth. The school sits in a community shaped by Boeing’s presence, a major employer, and by ongoing redevelopment of downtown Renton and lakefront areas. The district itself is in the middle of a facility expansion, with a new elementary school in the Fairwood area scheduled to open soon, and has redesigned its high school experience around career-themed academies, though those changes do not directly affect an elementary school.
The student body is diverse. Asian students make up the largest share, followed by Hispanic and White students, with Black students and students of two or more races also present in meaningful numbers. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a population with a range of economic backgrounds. Data on the share of students with disabilities or who are English learners was not available in the source material, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.
Talbot Hill’s state assessment results show a mixed picture. In math, proficiency rates decline as students move up through the grades, with the strongest performance in third grade and a noticeable drop by fifth grade. English language arts results follow a similar pattern, with fourth grade the strongest and fifth grade the weakest. Science, which is tested only in fifth grade, shows a proficiency rate below the midpoint of the school’s own math and ELA results. When compared with other elementary schools across King County, Talbot Hill’s overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint of the county’s districts. A parent may want to ask the school how it supports students who are not yet meeting benchmarks, particularly in the upper elementary grades where the numbers soften.
The school’s enrollment is moderate for an elementary school serving kindergarten through fifth grade. The student body is racially and ethnically diverse, with no single group forming a majority. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a marker of the economic diversity in the attendance area.
Talbot Hill is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and it does not have a Title I designation in the available data. The school’s website and program offerings were not included in the source material, so a parent would need to contact the school directly to learn about enrichment, special education, English learner services, or after-school activities.
The housing context for families considering Talbot Hill is shaped by Renton’s position as an inner-ring Seattle suburb. Home values in the school’s ZIP code are high, though slightly below the King County median listing price. Rents are also elevated. The county’s housing market has seen a modest increase in active listings and a slight decline in median listing price year over year, but affordability remains a challenge, with the price-to-income ratio well above the national figure. For families renting, the rent-to-income ratio is also high, suggesting that housing costs take up a significant share of household income.
Renton itself is a city of substantial scale, with a mix of industrial, residential, and commercial zones. The Boeing Renton Factory is a defining presence, and the city has seen significant redevelopment of its downtown and lakefront areas. The school is located in the southern part of the city, in a residential area near the intersection of Talbot Road and Interstate 405. The district has recently passed a bond for school construction and renovation, and a new elementary school is scheduled to open in the Fairwood area, which may affect attendance boundaries in the future. The district has also introduced a career-focused high school redesign, though that does not directly affect elementary students.
For a family considering Talbot Hill, the picture is of a diverse, mid-sized elementary school in a district that is investing in facilities and high school programming, set within a city with a strong industrial and corporate employment base and a high-cost housing market. The academic results are mixed, with some grades showing solid proficiency and others falling below the county median, which is worth exploring with the school.
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