Emerson Elementary School, Seattle WA

Original Research by School Decision on Emerson Elementary School

Emerson Elementary School is a regular public school in Seattle, serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of the Seattle School District No. 1, the largest district in Washington. Because Emerson is an elementary school, there is no graduation rate to report, and state testing data is available only for the grades that are assessed. A parent looking at the school’s academic performance will find assessment results from state tests in math, English language arts, and science for the 2024-25 school year. Across the tested grades, the share of students meeting proficiency standards was notably below the midpoint when compared with districts in King County. In fact, the school’s overall proficiency index placed it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in the county. Within the school, proficiency rates in math were in the low twenties percent for third, fourth, and fifth graders, with similar figures in English language arts and science. These results are from a single year, so a multi-year trend is not yet available. A parent may want to ask the school what approaches it is using to support academic growth and how it measures progress beyond the state test.

The student body at Emerson is moderately sized for a K-5 school. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, which is one indicator of economic need in the community. The racial and ethnic composition is diverse, with Black students forming the largest group, followed by Hispanic students, Asian students, White students, and students who identify as two or more races. Data on the number of students with Individualized Education Programs or who are English learners was not provided, so a parent looking for that information would need to check with the school directly.

Emerson is located in Seattle, a major Pacific Northwest city that serves as a technology and manufacturing hub, home to Amazon and with a strong Boeing and Microsoft presence in the region. The city’s dense urban core is surrounded by residential neighborhoods, parks, and waterfront areas. Housing costs in the area are high, with the typical home value and rents well above national levels. The local real estate market has shown some softening in recent months, but affordability remains a challenge for many households. The school itself sits in a neighborhood that is part of a city experiencing sustained growth, driven largely by the tech sector and associated development.

Seattle Public Schools has been navigating significant district-level pressures. Voters approved a capital levy in 2022 that funds school construction and renovations, which has implications for facilities and property taxes. More recently, the district has faced a budget deficit tied to declining enrollment and the expiration of federal relief funds, leading to proposals for school closures and staffing reductions. While the district scaled back some closure plans after community opposition, the financial pressures remain ongoing. Families considering Emerson should be aware that these district-level dynamics could affect school resources, class sizes, and program availability in the coming years.

No information was available on course access, staffing ratios, attendance rates, or discipline incidents at Emerson. Additionally, the school’s special education and English learner counts were not included in the available data. A parent would need to gather those details directly from the school or the district office. The school’s website may offer additional context on its specific programs, after-school activities, and family engagement efforts.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 323%

School 23% · District 67% · ▼ 44 pts below district

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 38 pts below county median

Grade 422%

School 22% · District 64% · ▼ 42 pts below district

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 38 pts below county median

Grade 520%

School 20% · District 48% · ▼ 27 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 34 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 328%

School 28% · District 31% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

Grade 417%

School 17% · District 64% · ▼ 46 pts below district

▼ 32 pts below state median · ▼ 40 pts below county median

Grade 524%

School 24% · District 24%

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 39 pts below county median

Science

Grade 519%

School 19% · District 32% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 42 pts below county median

This schoolSeattle School District No. 1, 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income22%Higher-income44%22 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income17%Higher-income55%38 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income20%Higher-income31%12 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income18%Higher-income30%12 pp gap