Orca K-8 School, Seattle WA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Orca K-8 School

Orca K-8 School is a small alternative school in Seattle that serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade. It sits within Seattle Public Schools, the largest district in Washington, and its status as an alternative school signals that it operates under a distinct instructional model or philosophy, though the available data does not detail that model. Families looking at Orca should understand it as a neighborhood-adjacent option with its own approach, not a standard comprehensive elementary or middle school.

Academically, performance varies noticeably by grade and subject. In English language arts, students in third and fourth grade met the state proficiency bar at rates that stand as a clear strength of the school, while by sixth grade that share declined and remained lower through eighth grade. A similar pattern appears in math: younger grades performed near or above the midpoint of expectations, but sixth, seventh, and eighth grade cohorts showed considerably lower proficiency. Science results, available for fifth and eighth graders, followed the same trend, with the earlier grade posting a stronger showing and the later grade a weaker one. Overall, across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s composite proficiency index placed it below the midpoint among the districts in King County, the set used for comparison here. Only one year of assessment data was available, so it is not possible to see whether these results reflect a recent shift or a longer trajectory.

The student body is racially and economically diverse. Just under half of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a measure of household income. The enrollment is small for a K-8 school, which tends to allow for closer relationships among students and staff. The racial composition includes a roughly equal share of White students and Black students, with smaller but meaningful groups of Asian, Hispanic, and multiracial students. Data on students receiving special education services and English learner support was not reported in the dataset, so families with specific needs in those areas may want to ask the school directly about the resources available.

The school is located in Seattle’s Rainier Valley neighborhood, a historically diverse residential area with a mix of single-family homes and apartments. Seattle itself is a dense, fast-growing city shaped by the technology industry and anchored by employers such as Amazon, Boeing, and the Port of Seattle. Housing costs in the zip code are high, typical of the region, and the broader King County market continues to see elevated prices. The city’s parks, library system, and public transit, including light rail and buses, are assets that residents often factor into their daily lives.

Seattle Public Schools has been navigating a period of budget pressure driven by declining enrollment and the expiration of pandemic-era federal funding. A capital levy approved by voters in 2022 is funding facility improvements across the district, but the district has also proposed staff reductions and considered school closures, though some of those plans were scaled back after community opposition. These district-wide financial realities may affect resources at Orca, including class sizes, program offerings, and building maintenance.

For a parent or resident evaluating Orca, the school fits a family looking for a small, diverse K-8 alternative setting. The academic pattern, with stronger early elementary results and weaker middle school performance, is worth examining closely, especially for families whose children are approaching the upper grades. The absence of data on special education and English learner services, as well as on attendance and discipline, means those questions need to be raised directly with the school. Orca offers a distinct option within Seattle’s large district, and understanding its particular program model and how it supports students through the transition to middle school grades will be essential to deciding whether it matches a child’s needs.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 352%

School 52% · District 67% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 466%

School 66% · District 64% · ▲ 2 pts above district

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

Grade 539%

School 39% · District 48% · ▼ 8 pts below district

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

Grade 628%

School 28% · District 60% · ▼ 32 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 25 pts below county median

Grade 735%

School 35% · District 56% · ▼ 22 pts below district

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

Grade 821%

School 21% · District 54% · ▼ 34 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 365%

School 65% · District 31% · ▲ 34 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 475%

School 75% · District 64% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Grade 548%

School 48% · District 24% · ▲ 24 pts above district

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

Grade 626%

School 26% · District 67% · ▼ 41 pts below district

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

Grade 739%

School 39% · District 38% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Grade 835%

School 35% · District 66% · ▼ 31 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 31 pts below county median

Science

Grade 559%

School 59% · District 32% · ▲ 27 pts above district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 829%

School 29% · District 60% · ▼ 31 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 32 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

Mathematics

Grade 7Lower-income40%Higher-income27%13 pp gap