Whittier Elementary School vs Catharine Blaine K-8 School

Whittier Elementary School and Catharine Blaine K-8 School are both high-performing Seattle public schools, but Whittier holds a meaningful edge in overall quality. Whittier Elementary School scores 9.5/10 versus Catharine Blaine K-8 School's 8.8/10 — a 0.7-point gap that reflects a real performance difference. In state ranking terms, that gap is substantial: Whittier Elementary School sits at #8 of 2225 schools in Washington, while Catharine Blaine K-8 School ranks #117 of 2225. Both schools clear any reasonable bar for a high-quality education, but Whittier is operating at a near-elite tier statewide.

The academic scores are nearly identical — Whittier Elementary School at 9.4/10 and Catharine Blaine K-8 School at 9.3/10, a difference of just 0.1 points. Where the schools diverge more sharply is growth: Whittier Elementary School posts a 9.8/10 growth score versus Catharine Blaine K-8 School's 9.2/10, a 0.6-point gap. That growth measure reflects how much students improve year over year relative to similar peers, and Whittier's near-perfect score suggests it is accelerating student progress at an exceptional rate, not just serving an already high-achieving population.

Both schools serve a similarly affluent student body — free and reduced-price lunch eligibility is 8% at both Whittier Elementary School and Catharine Blaine K-8 School. Enrollment differs: Whittier Elementary School has 342 students versus Catharine Blaine K-8 School's 436. The student-teacher ratio tells a similar story — 15.5:1 at Whittier Elementary School compared to 18.2:1 at Catharine Blaine K-8 School, meaning Whittier averages roughly three fewer students per teacher, which can translate to meaningfully more individualized attention in the classroom.

The most structurally distinct difference between the two schools is grade span. Whittier Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade, while Catharine Blaine K-8 School extends through eighth grade, covering the full elementary and middle school years under one roof. Families at Catharine Blaine avoid a school transition at sixth grade and give children a longer runway to build relationships with teachers and peers in a single community — a real logistical and social advantage for some families regardless of rating differences.