Melvin G Syre Elementary, Shoreline WA

Original Research by School Decision on Melvin G Syre Elementary

Melvin G Syre Elementary sits in Shoreline, a primarily residential suburb just north of Seattle that has been growing steadily in recent years. The city lacks a single traditional downtown; civic life is dispersed across neighborhood nodes, and the opening of two Link light rail stations near Interstate 5 has spurred transit-oriented development. Housing in the area is expensive, reflecting the broader Seattle metro market, and the school’s attendance zone draws from established single-family neighborhoods. For families choosing a home in this part of King County, Syre is one of several elementary options within the Shoreline School District.

Syre serves kindergarten through fifth grade and has a moderate enrollment typical of an elementary school in this corridor. The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of students who identify as Hispanic, Asian, Black, or of two or more races. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, which is well below the state and national averages for a public school. This profile suggests a relatively low-poverty peer environment, which can be a factor for families considering the socioeconomic mix of the school.

Academically, Syre performs at a strong level. On the state’s Smarter Balanced assessments, proficiency rates in both English language arts and math are high across grades three through five. Performance is notably strong in fifth-grade science as well. When compared with other schools in King County, Syre’s overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile of the county’s districts. This is a clear strength for the school and signals that a large majority of students are meeting grade-level expectations. Because only one year of testing data is available, it is not yet possible to see trend direction; families may want to watch future results for a fuller picture of consistency.

The school is part of Shoreline School District, which has recently invested in facilities. Voters approved replacement levies in 2022 that fund enrichment programs, special education, transportation, and technology upgrades, among other supports. Two major school rebuild projects—Kellogg Middle School and Parkwood Elementary—have been completed in the last few years, though Syre itself was not part of those projects. These district-level investments indicate ongoing commitment to maintaining school infrastructure and programming.

Syre does not offer information on class sizes, teacher experience, or discipline patterns in the data provided. Families who want details on those areas would need to reach out to the school directly or consult Washington’s school report card. Likewise, data on special education and English learner populations was not available, so the extent of those services is not documented here.

For a family considering this school, the picture is of a well-performing elementary in a growing suburb with high housing costs. The academic outcomes are above what is typical across the county, and the student body is economically less diverse than many public schools in the region. The school environment reflects the quiet, auto-oriented character of Shoreline’s residential neighborhoods, with parks and the Interurban Trail nearby. For those who can afford the area, Syre offers a strong academic start within a district that has been actively modernizing its facilities.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 375%

School 75% · District 71% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 474%

School 74% · District 64% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 564%

School 64% · District 61% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 378%

School 78% · District 67% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 30 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 475%

School 75% · District 63% · ▲ 12 pts above district

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

Grade 575%

School 75% · District 72% · ▲ 4 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 584%

School 84% · District 71% · ▲ 13 pts above district

▲ 32 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

This schoolShoreline 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income46%Higher-income82%36 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income46%Higher-income80%35 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income33%Higher-income95%61 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income46%Higher-income78%33 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income40%Higher-income68%28 pp gap