Where children start their educational journey matters.
“Elementary school serves as the first stage in a student’s formal education, and students learn foundational concepts in reading, writing, math, science and social studies,” U.S. News & World Report says.
Middle school, meanwhile, serves as a “social and academic bridge” to high school, the publication said.
U.S. News & World Report recently released its 2027 Best Elementary and Middle Schools rankings, evaluating schools based on students’ performance in math and reading.
The best schools “educate their students from all socioeconomic backgrounds with the goal of setting them up for success,” U.S. News said in its report, published Monday, Oct. 19.
Here’s which schools made the list in Washington state:
What is the best K-8 school in Washington state?
According to U.S. News & World Report, the top public school in Washington state serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade can be found in Snohomish County.
Challenge Elementary School, 5409 228Th St. SW in Mountlake Terrace, was No. 1 on U.S. News’ list for 2027.
It also placed first among elementary schools in the Edmonds School District.
The school serves 414 students in kindergarten through sixth grade.
About 95% of Challenge Elementary students scored at or above the proficient level for math, U.S. News said, while 96% showed reading proficiency.
In contrast, 47% of district students showed proficiency in math and 53% demonstrated proficiency in reading, according to U.S. News.
Challenge Elementary has an overall A grade on school ratings and review website Niche.
It received As for academics and diversity, and a B+ for teachers, Niche said.
What are the top 10 elementary schools?
According to U.S. News & World Report, these are the top public schools serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade in Washington state:
How did U.S. News & World Report rank schools?
To determine the top K-8 schools in each state, U.S. News & World Report said it analyzed 80,774 pre-kindergarten, elementary and middle schools.
Schools were assessed on their students’ performance on mathematics and reading and language arts state testing.
Rather than focus solely on test scores, U.S. News looked at them in the context of socioeconomic characteristics.
The top-ranked schools are all high-achieving and have succeeded at educating all their students,” the publication said.
Data came from state education departments and the U.S. Department of Education.