Dearborn Park International School vs Hawthorne Elementary School

Hawthorne Elementary School ranks #4 of 2,225 schools in Washington, edging out Dearborn Park International School at #7 — both placing in the top 0.3% of the state. The overall rating gap is razor-thin at just 0.1 points (Hawthorne 9.6/10, Dearborn Park 9.5/10), meaning parents are genuinely choosing between two of Seattle's strongest elementary options, not picking between a clear frontrunner and a fallback.

The academic score delta drives most of the separation: Hawthorne Elementary School scores 9.3/10 in academics versus Dearborn Park International School's 9.0/10, a 0.3-point edge that reflects meaningfully stronger tested proficiency. On growth — how much students improve year over year — both schools are identical at 9.9/10, which is an exceptional result for either school and signals that wherever students start academically, they make strong gains. Parents prioritizing upward trajectory over absolute proficiency levels will find both schools equally compelling on that dimension.

The demographic profiles of these two schools differ substantially. Dearborn Park International School enrolls 326 students with 61% qualifying for free or reduced lunch, serving a significantly higher-need population. Hawthorne Elementary School enrolls 374 students with only 26% on free or reduced lunch. Dearborn Park's student-teacher ratio is slightly more favorable at 14.2:1 compared to Hawthorne's 15.0:1, giving it a small structural edge in classroom attention despite its higher proportion of students who often require more instructional support. Hawthorne's near-identical growth score despite a lower-need population suggests its academic advantage is partially explained by its demographic composition.

Both schools serve grades PK through 5 and sit just 1.1 miles apart in Seattle, making the choice largely neighborhood-driven for many families. Dearborn Park International School carries an international designation, which typically signals a globally focused curriculum framework — relevant for families specifically seeking that lens. Hawthorne Elementary School offers no comparable specialized program marker in the available data, positioning it as a strong traditional elementary option with top-tier outcomes.