Best Schools in Maple Valley, Washington

Maple Valley's public school landscape is compact and consistently strong. The city has 7 ranked public schools averaging 7.9 out of 10 — and 5 of those 7 schools, or 71%, score 7 or higher. That concentration at the top is uncommon and gives parents real choices without much exposure at the low end of the range.

Elementary schools are the city's clear strength. Rock Creek Elementary and Cedar River Elementary both score 8.7, tied for the top spot in the city. Shadow Lake Elementary sits just behind at 8.6, and Lake Wilderness Elementary rounds out the leading cluster at 8.4. Four elementary schools above 8.0 in a city this size signals a district that performs consistently across campuses, not just at a single flagship. Families with children in the younger grades have multiple high-performing options within a tight geographic area — a meaningful advantage over cities where top scores concentrate at one or two schools.

The secondary picture holds up, too. Tahoma Senior High School scores 7.6, which clears the 7-plus threshold that 71% of Maple Valley schools meet. A 7.6 at the high school level keeps the city's performance profile intact from K through 12, rather than showing the drop-off many suburban communities see as students advance.

For parents making a school decision here, the practical takeaway is straightforward: the floor is higher than in most comparable cities. With a citywide average of 7.9 and only 2 of 7 schools falling below the 7-point mark, families are unlikely to land in a significantly underperforming school regardless of attendance zone. The elementary tier is the strongest asset — if you have K–6 children, the cluster of 8-plus schools gives you competitive options without needing to hunt for exceptions. Families with high schoolers will find Tahoma Senior High a solid, above-average option that fits the city's overall performance pattern.