Original Research by School Decision on Developmental Preschool
Developmental Preschool serves preschoolers only, operating as a regular public school within the Steilacoom Historical School District in the small, historic town of Steilacoom, Washington. Because the school serves only prekindergarten, most of the standard academic performance and high school outcome data that parents use to evaluate a school simply does not apply here, and the school sits outside those measures.
The school is small, enrolling a modest number of young children, all in a single grade level. Its student body reflects the broader diversity of the surrounding community. The racial and ethnic composition is varied, with white students and Hispanic students each making up a notable share, Black students and Asian students present at lower rates, and a small number of Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students and students identifying as two or more races. A substantial share of the students at the school come from households that qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a measure of economic need that is typical for many early childhood programs serving the area. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not available, which means a parent who wants to understand the school’s special education or language support offerings would need to ask the school directly.
The town of Steilacoom itself is a quiet, residential community on Puget Sound, bordered to the south by Joint Base Lewis-McChord, a major military installation. The town has no state highways running directly through it and no active passenger rail station, which contributes to a lower-traffic environment. The major employers shaping the area are the military base and a state-run mental health facility in neighboring Lakewood. A ferry departs from Steilacoom to serve nearby islands, and a public golf course borders the town to the north. The housing market in the area is expensive relative to national benchmarks. The median home value in the zip code is above the statewide median and well above the national figure. Rents are also high, and the cost gap between renting and owning is such that buying a home requires a significant income.
The school has no data reported for state assessments, nor for chronic absenteeism or graduation rates. That absence is fully explained by the grade band: this school serves only prekindergarten, so it does not participate in the state testing program, and it has no graduating class. A parent looking at this school should understand that they are evaluating an early childhood program, not an elementary or secondary school, and the usual metrics of academic performance do not apply. What matters instead is the school’s role as an entry point for early learning within the Steilacoom district, and the best way to gauge its quality would be through direct contact with the school and the district, observing the classroom environment, and asking about curriculum, teacher qualifications, and how the program prepares children for kindergarten.
We looked for recent district-level changes or strategic priorities but found little of lasting impact, so that information was left out rather than guessed. A parent considering this preschool should contact the Steilacoom Historical School District for the most current information on enrollment, program philosophy, and any recent changes to the early childhood program.
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