Rising Star Elementary School vs Hawthorne Elementary School

Hawthorne Elementary School ranks #4 of 2,225 schools in Washington, placing it seven spots above Rising Star Elementary School, which ranks #11 of 2,225 — both exceptional standings, but Hawthorne's statewide position reflects a meaningful performance edge. The overall rating gap is narrow at 0.2 points, with Hawthorne at 9.6/10 and Rising Star at 9.4/10, but that slim margin compresses what turns out to be a more significant academic gap between the two schools 2.5 miles apart in Seattle.

The academic score delta tells the clearer story: Hawthorne Elementary School scores 9.3/10 in academics versus Rising Star Elementary School's 8.3/10 — a full point difference that explains most of the rating spread. Neither school lacks in student growth, however; both Rising Star Elementary School and Hawthorne Elementary School earn an identical 9.9/10 growth score, meaning students at each school are advancing at an exceptional rate regardless of where they start. Hawthorne's academic edge reflects higher absolute proficiency levels, not a superior growth engine.

The demographic contrast between the two schools is sharp. Rising Star Elementary School enrolls 326 students with 71% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, serving a substantially higher-need population. Hawthorne Elementary School enrolls 374 students with only 26% on free or reduced-price lunch. The student-teacher ratio diverges significantly as well: Rising Star's 10.2:1 ratio means considerably more individualized attention per student than Hawthorne's 15.0:1, a structural resource that helps explain how Rising Star sustains its elite growth score despite serving more economically disadvantaged families.

Both schools cover grades PK through 05 and operate within Seattle's public school system. Rising Star's lower student-teacher ratio of 10.2:1 versus Hawthorne's 15.0:1 is a 4.8-student-per-teacher gap that compounds across a school day, and it likely reflects resource allocation tied to its higher-need enrollment. Hawthorne's 71-percentage-point lower free and reduced-price lunch rate signals a more affluent student body, which correlates directly with its higher academic proficiency floor.