The top reported proficiency rate is 35% in English language arts. The lowest is 29% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Frances Scott Elementary
Frances Scott Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in the Spokane School District, the largest public school system in the Inland Northwest. The school sits within the city of Spokane, Washington, a former mining, timber, and agricultural center that has diversified into healthcare, government, education, and logistics. Downtown Spokane, with its Spokane River waterfront, Riverfront Park, and historic architecture, is a short distance away. The district recently completed a major capital project funded by a voter-approved bond, opening three new middle schools that reshaped feeder patterns across the city. That investment signals a district focused on updating its physical plant, and families choosing an elementary school will land in a specific middle school pathway once their child finishes sixth grade.
The student body at Frances Scott is diverse in composition. White students make up roughly half the enrollment, with the remainder coming from a mix of backgrounds: a sizable share of students who identify as two or more races, a substantial Hispanic population, and smaller but present groups of Asian, Black, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and it serves a population with high economic need. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on the share of students with disabilities and English learners was not available; a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.
State assessment results from the 2024-25 school year show a clear pattern of below-average performance compared to other schools in Spokane County. In math, the share of students meeting the state proficiency standard declines across grades: third graders performed at a moderate level, fourth graders at a lower level, and fifth graders at a lower level still. In English language arts, the pattern is somewhat more stable but still soft. Third graders had a modest share meeting the bar, fourth graders a lower share, and fifth graders a share in between those two. Fifth-grade science results similarly showed a modest share of students meeting the proficiency standard. When all tested subjects and grades are combined into a single index for comparison, Frances Scott lands in the bottom quarter of elementary schools across Spokane County. That is not a single data point but a consistent picture across multiple grades and subjects. A parent considering this school will want to examine how the school addresses academic gaps and what interventions are in place.
The school offers pre-kindergarten, which is a meaningful resource for families seeking early learning before kindergarten. Enrollment by grade shows a steady decline from kindergarten through fifth grade, which is common in many elementary schools, though the sixth-grade year has no students enrolled, indicating that Frances Scott's grade band ends at fifth grade for its regular classroom configuration despite listing sixth grade in its range.
Spokane itself is a mid-sized city with a genuine downtown core, a river running through it, and a mix of historic neighborhoods and suburban-style residential areas. It remains relatively affordable compared to western Washington, though housing values have shown a slight downward trend recently while rents have crept up. The city's largest employers include Fairchild Air Force Base, healthcare systems, the state government, and Spokane Public Schools itself. The economy has broadened over the past generation, and the city hosts major annual events that bring residents together.
For a family weighing Frances Scott, the key facts are straightforward. This is a high-needs elementary school in a large urban district, with a student body that is economically diverse by need if not by race. The academic results are below those of most peers in the county, and the decline from third to fifth grade in math is something a parent would want to understand better. The school does have an early childhood program and sits in a district that is investing in its middle school infrastructure. The choice comes down to fit: whether the school's supports, staff, and community align with what a child needs, and whether the academic pathway that begins here leads to a middle school that matches a family's expectations. The data alone cannot answer that.
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