The top reported proficiency rate is 63% in Math. The lowest is 60% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Cherrydale Elementary
Cherrydale Elementary is a small, regular public school in Steilacoom, Washington, serving kindergarten through third grade within the Steilacoom Historical School District. Because it serves only the earliest primary grades, it does not have a graduation rate or data on chronic absenteeism, and its academic picture is drawn entirely from state assessments taken by third graders.
On those third-grade state tests, Cherrydale posted proficiency rates that, in a county-level comparison of school districts across all tested subjects and grades, fell above the midpoint among districts in Pierce County. The school’s third graders showed slightly stronger performance in math than in English language arts, though both measures were solid. Because the data covers only a single year and a single grade level, there is no trend to observe yet; a parent watching for progress would want to see how subsequent cohorts perform.
The student body is small and predominantly white, with a substantial share of students identifying as two or more races. Hispanic students make up a little under a fifth of the enrollment, and Black and Asian students each account for a smaller share. Just under half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a marker of economic diversity. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a family whose child has an Individualized Education Program or is learning English may want to ask the school directly about supports.
Cherrydale serves only kindergarten through third grade, so families will need to plan for a transition to an upper-elementary school within the district after third grade. There is no information on the school’s program offerings, such as whether it has specials in art, music, or physical education, or any enrichment or intervention programs. A parent considering the school should inquire about those details and about how the school prepares young children for the next step in their education.
The town of Steilacoom is a small, historic residential community on Puget Sound. It functions largely as a bedroom community for Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the major military installation that borders the town to the south, and for Western State Hospital, a state-run mental health facility in neighboring Lakewood. The town has a historic district with dozens of contributing properties, and its built environment is quieter than many suburbs because no state highway runs through it, though a BNSF railroad line follows the shoreline. The Steilacoom-Anderson Island Ferry departs from the town, and Chambers Bay, a public golf course, lies to the north.
The housing market reflects the area’s desirability: home values are above the state average and well above the national average, with rents similarly elevated. A mortgage on a typical home in the area would cost more than the median rent, so renting is more affordable than buying for most households. The national unemployment rate was moderate at the time of the data, and median household income nationally was in the middle eighties.
The district itself had no recent major changes surfaced in publicly available searches, so the school’s context is largely stable. For a family looking at Cherrydale, the central considerations are its early-primary focus, its solid academic start for its third graders, its small size and economic mix, and the need to look ahead to the next school in the sequence.
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