Dearborn Park International School vs Loyal Heights Elementary School
Dearborn Park International School has a higher overall rating of 9.5/10 compared to 8.7/10. Loyal Heights Elementary School is significantly larger with 533 students, about 1.6× the size of Dearborn Park International School (326). In math proficiency, Loyal Heights Elementary School leads at 77.0%.
Dearborn Park International School
Seattle, WA
326 students
Loyal Heights Elementary School
Seattle, WA
533 students
Ratings Comparison
| Metric | Dearborn Park International School | Loyal Heights Elementary School |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 9.5 / 10 | 8.7 / 10 |
| Academic Score | 9.0 | 9.3 |
| Growth Score | 9.9 | 8.9 |
| Diversity Index | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 61% | 10.3% |
| Environment Score | 9.4 | 7.4 |
| State Rank | #7 of 2,225 | #142 of 2,225 |
| State Percentile | 100th | 94th |
Test Scores
| Subject | Dearborn Park International School | Loyal Heights Elementary School |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 42.0% | 77.0% |
| Math (State Avg) | — | — |
| ELA Proficiency | 42.0% | 82.0% |
| ELA (State Avg) | — | — |
School Details
| Detail | Dearborn Park International School | Loyal Heights Elementary School |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Elementary School | Elementary School |
| Grades | Pre-K – 5th | Kindergarten – 5th |
| Enrollment | 326 | 533 |
| Student-Teacher Ratio | 14.2:1 | 17.8:1 |
| Per-Pupil Spending | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 61.0% | 10.3% |
| Chronic Absenteeism | — | — |
| District | Seattle School District No. 1 | Seattle School District No. 1 |
| City | Seattle | Seattle |
Neighborhood
| Metric | Seattle (98108) | Seattle (98115) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $90,806 | $148,190 |
| Median Home Value | $693,500 | $1,041,500 |
| Median Rent | $1,463 | $2,118 |
| College Educated (Bachelor's+) | 37.0% | 78.3% |
| Poverty Rate | 21.1% | 6.0% |
| Avg Commute | 28 min | 25 min |
The data story: Dearborn Park International School vs Loyal Heights Elementary School
Dearborn Park International School holds an overall rating of 9.5/10 against Loyal Heights Elementary School's 8.7/10 — a 0.8-point gap that translates into a dramatic state rank difference. Dearborn Park International School sits at #7 of 2,225 Washington schools while Loyal Heights Elementary School ranks #142 of the same pool. That 135-position gap is large enough to matter for families treating school quality rankings as a primary filter.
The academic scores tell a more nuanced story. Loyal Heights Elementary School edges Dearborn Park International School in raw academic proficiency, 9.3/10 versus 9.0/10. Dearborn Park International School, however, dominates on growth — 9.9/10 compared to Loyal Heights Elementary School's 8.9/10, a full point higher. That gap signals that Dearborn Park International School is moving students forward at an exceptional rate relative to their starting points, which can matter more than snapshot proficiency for families whose children are still building foundational skills.
The two schools serve very different populations. Dearborn Park International School enrolls 326 students with 61% qualifying for free or reduced lunch; Loyal Heights Elementary School enrolls 533 students with only 10% on free or reduced lunch. The student-teacher ratio at Dearborn Park International School is 14.2:1 versus 17.8:1 at Loyal Heights Elementary School — 3.6 students fewer per teacher, a meaningful difference for classroom attention at the elementary level. These figures together suggest Dearborn Park International School is achieving its top-7 statewide result while serving a substantially higher-need student body, which makes its growth score even more striking in context.
On program and grade structure, Dearborn Park International School offers pre-kindergarten through 5th grade while Loyal Heights Elementary School starts at kindergarten. The international school designation at Dearborn Park points to a language-immersion or globally focused curriculum, which is a concrete programmatic differentiator for families seeking that track. The two schools are 10.2 miles apart within Seattle, so geography alone rarely forces the choice — parents are genuinely selecting between two distinct educational philosophies and community compositions.
Editorial summary generated April 2026 · sonnet
Who each school fits
Dearborn Park International School
Dearborn Park International School suits families who prioritize exceptional student growth, lower student-teacher ratios, and an internationally focused or immersion curriculum. It is also the stronger fit for parents who want pre-K access within the same building, or who value a school demonstrating top-7 statewide performance while serving a socioeconomically diverse student body.
Loyal Heights Elementary School
Loyal Heights Elementary School suits families in northwest Seattle seeking a larger school community with slightly higher academic proficiency scores and a more homogeneous, lower-FRL demographic. It fits parents who prefer a traditional K–5 structure and are drawn to a well-regarded neighborhood school with a strong academic baseline rather than an immersion or internationally designated program.