Greenwood Elementary School vs Hawthorne Elementary School

Hawthorne Elementary School ranks #4 of 2,225 schools in Washington state, compared to Greenwood Elementary School at #115 — a gap of 111 positions within the same state ranking system. On the 10-point overall scale, Hawthorne scores 9.6 against Greenwood's 8.8, a difference of 0.8 points. Both are strong performers in absolute terms, but the state rank separates them sharply: Hawthorne sits in the top 0.2% of all Washington schools while Greenwood lands in the top 5%.

The academic and growth scores tell different stories. Greenwood Elementary School edges Hawthorne on academic score, 9.5 to 9.3 — a narrow 0.2-point advantage suggesting comparable current proficiency levels. The growth score flips the picture dramatically: Hawthorne Elementary School scores 9.9 to Greenwood's 8.6, a 1.3-point gap indicating Hawthorne students are advancing at a faster rate relative to their starting points. For parents who prioritize year-over-year learning velocity over baseline proficiency, that 1.3-point growth delta is the most significant number on this page.

The two schools differ meaningfully in demographics and classroom density. Hawthorne Elementary School enrolls 374 students with 26% qualifying for free or reduced lunch; Greenwood Elementary School enrolls 324 students with only 8% on FRL. Hawthorne's lower student-teacher ratio — 15.0:1 versus Greenwood's 17.1:1 — means roughly two fewer students per teacher on average, a structural advantage that may contribute to its superior growth outcomes. Greenwood's FRL rate of 8% signals a more economically homogeneous student body.

Both schools serve grades PK through 5 and sit 9.1 miles apart within Seattle. The grade span is identical, so families are not choosing between different coverage ranges — the decision centers entirely on the performance and demographic differences above. Hawthorne's combination of a 9.9 growth score and a 15.0:1 student-teacher ratio distinguishes it from Greenwood despite Greenwood's marginally higher academic proficiency score of 9.5.