The top reported proficiency rate is 45% in Science. The lowest is 29% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Garfield Elementary
Garfield Elementary is a regular public school in Spokane that serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade. It operates within the Spokane School District, a system that has been reshaped by recently opened middle schools funded through a voter-approved bond. For families considering this school, the immediate context is a neighborhood school in a midsized district that has invested heavily in its facilities.
The school’s academic results on Washington’s state assessments place it below most other elementary schools in Spokane County. Across math, English language arts, and science, the share of students meeting proficiency standards is in the bottom quarter of the county’s districts. In math specifically, the rates at each tested grade fall well short of the county midpoint. English language arts results follow a similar pattern. Science, tested only in fifth grade, shows a somewhat higher proficiency rate, though still below the typical level for the county. Because this is the only year of assessment data available for this school, there is no way to tell whether performance is improving or declining. A parent looking at these numbers would want to ask the school what steps it is taking to raise achievement and how student progress is measured beyond state tests.
The enrollment is a few hundred students, making it a smaller elementary school. The student body is predominantly white, with a notable share of students who identify as two or more races. Hispanic students make up the next largest group, and smaller numbers of American Indian or Alaska Native, Black, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students are also present. More than four out of five students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a strong indicator that this school serves a high-poverty population. That economic context is relevant to the academic results; schools with high rates of poverty often face challenges that state test scores alone do not capture. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not available, which is a gap a prospective family might want to fill by contacting the school directly.
The school sits in the city of Spokane, the second-most populous city in Washington and the economic hub of the Inland Northwest. The city’s economy has moved beyond its historical reliance on mining, timber, and agriculture into healthcare, government, education, and logistics. Major employers include Fairchild Air Force Base, Providence Health Care, Spokane Public Schools itself, and Amazon. The downtown area along the Spokane River features Riverfront Park, the Spokane Falls, and a compact core of historic buildings. Gonzaga University is near downtown, and Whitworth University is in the north part of the city. The housing market in the school’s zip code is moderately priced by state standards, with home values notably below the Washington median. Rents have been rising modestly, and typical monthly mortgage payments outpace rents, which is a common pattern across the country. The area is relatively affordable compared to western Washington, which matters for families balancing school quality with housing costs.
Because Garfield Elementary serves only through fifth grade, there is no graduation rate to consider. The district brief confirms that Spokane Public Schools has recently completed a major middle school construction project, adding three new buildings that shifted feeder patterns. That means the middle school a Garfield graduate would attend is a newer facility, but the specific assignment is not detailed in the data provided.
Overall, Garfield Elementary is a high-poverty, lower-performing school within a district that is investing in its facilities. The academic numbers give a clear signal that a parent would want to investigate further, looking beyond state tests at classroom instruction, supports for struggling students, and the school’s own improvement plans. The Spokane setting offers a full range of urban amenities and a relatively affordable housing market, but the school itself presents a set of challenges that families should weigh carefully.
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