Lyon Elementary School, Tacoma WA

Original Research by School Decision on Lyon Elementary School

Lyon Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school in the Tacoma School District, situated in a residential area of Tacoma, Washington. The school is located in the city's southern reaches, in a neighborhood that reflects the broader character of Tacoma as a mid-sized port city with a working waterfront, distinct residential districts, and a growing cultural scene.

The student body is racially and economically diverse. White students make up something close to a third of the enrollment, with Hispanic students forming another substantial group, followed by students who identify as two or more races, Black students, and Asian students. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that places the school in a higher-poverty context relative to many others in the region. The school's enrollment is small relative to the grade band it serves, giving it an intimate scale that some families may prefer for younger children.

State testing results from the most recent year show a mixed picture. In mathematics, proficiency rates vary noticeably by grade level. Fourth graders posted a rate that was higher than the school's overall pattern, while third and fifth graders recorded lower rates. In English language arts, the pattern is similar: fourth graders performed at a level that was higher than the other tested grades, while both third and fifth graders showed lower proficiency. Science results, which are tested only in fifth grade, also came in on the lower side. Taken together, the school's overall proficiency across subjects and grades sits in the bottom quartile among its county's districts. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand how instruction and support are targeted by grade level, especially given the variation between fourth grade and the other grades.

The school's broader academic context is limited by the available data. State testing results cover only a single year, so there is no trend to speak of. Graduation rate and chronic absenteeism data are not applicable here because the school serves only elementary grades. Information on programs, staffing, discipline, and course access was not available in the data provided.

The housing market in the immediate area reflects the broader Tacoma market, where home values have been rising but remain lower than the state average, and rents are a meaningful share of household income. The city itself has seen steady population growth in recent years, with a modest uptick in housing development spurred by city initiatives. The Tacoma School District, like many urban districts, has faced enrollment and facility decisions in recent years, though specific boundary or closure changes that would directly affect Lyon Elementary were not captured in the data.

For a parent considering this school, the picture is straightforward. Lyon Elementary is a small, diverse, high-poverty elementary school in a mid-sized city. Its academic results on state tests are below the county median, with some grade-level variation that warrants a closer conversation with the school. The school serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, which means a family would need to plan for a middle school transition elsewhere in the district. The city offers the amenities of a larger urban area, including museums, parks, and a variety of neighborhoods, but the school's own program and support structure would need to be explored directly.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 334%

School 34% · District 42% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

Grade 456%

School 56% · District 33% · ▲ 23 pts above district

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 522%

School 22% · District 37% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 330%

School 30% · District 18% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

Grade 447%

School 47% · District 46% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 530%

School 30% · District 25% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Science

Grade 531%

School 31% · District 49% · ▼ 17 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

This schoolTacoma 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-income28%Higher-income36%8 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income29%Higher-income33%4 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income28%Higher-income55%26 pp gap