Nelson Elementary School

Summary:

Nelson Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Graham, Washington, serving 707 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. It is part of the Bethel School District, which is ranked 141 out of 247 school districts in the state.

Nelson Elementary consistently outperforms the Bethel School District and the state of Washington in academic proficiency across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 55.71% of Nelson Elementary students were proficient or better in SBAC/English Language Arts, compared to 49.89% for the district and 52.63% for the state. In SBAC/Math, Nelson Elementary had 59.4% proficiency, significantly higher than the district's 36.67% and the state's 41.68%. The school also stands out in its performance for specific student subgroups, ranking among the top Washington elementary schools for African American, Hispanic, and multi-racial students.

Despite these academic strengths, Nelson Elementary has seen a significant increase in the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, from 29.9% in 2021-2022 to 46.39% in 2022-2023, indicating a growing population of economically disadvantaged students. However, the school has also experienced a notable increase in per-student spending, from $9,848 in 2019-2020 to $16,970 in 2021-2022, suggesting a greater investment in the school's resources and programs to support its diverse student population.


Detail:

Public K-5

 22109 108th Ave E
       Graham, WA  98338


(253) 800-6400

District: Bethel School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
401st of 1,168 Washington Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,970 Help


Students who attend Nelson Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Frontier Middle School
High:    Graham Kapowsin High School

Student/teacher ratio:  17.6 Help
Number of students:  739

Racial breakdown:

White:
46.0%
Hispanic:
17.2%
Two or more races:
16.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  48.7% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Nelson Elementary School ranks better than 65.7% of elementary schools in Washington. It also ranks 4th among 18 ranked elementary schools in the Bethel School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 63.51. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Nelson Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Bethel School District. Student population at Nelson Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (46%), Hispanic (17.2%), two or more races (16.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 48.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Nelson Elementary School is 17.6. 18 elementary schools in the Bethel School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Nelson Elementary School employs 41.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Nelson Elementary School is $16,970. 16 elementary schools in the Bethel School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Nelson Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Nelson Elementary School 401st of 1168 Washington public elementary schools. (See Nelson Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Bethel School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Bethel School District 141st of 247 Washington school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Nelson Elementary School?

Rank History for Nelson Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Nelson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2011 67.86 322nd 1092 70.5%
2012 72.89 261st 1097 76.2%
2013 78.09 200th 1106 81.9%
2015 64.38 355th 1067 66.7%
2016 49.00 548th 1053 48.0%
2017 55.98 472nd 1056 55.3%
2018 63.56 385th 1054 63.5%
2019 69.54 333rd 1130 70.5%
2021 40.18 625th 1107 43.5%
2022 54.07 494th 1169 57.7%
2023 51.40 523rd 1169 55.3%
2024 63.51 401st 1168 65.7%
See the entire list of Washington Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Nelson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 56.67 141st 303 53.5%
2021 23.96 99th 128 22.7%
2022 45.91 143rd 252 43.3%
2023 27.00 156th 194 19.6%
2024 76.42 25th 188 86.7%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Nelson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 54.66 89th 254 65.0%
2024 69.35 70th 320 78.1%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Nelson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 42.45 289th 566 48.9%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Nelson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.85 225th 835 73.1%
2019 75.92 134th 979 86.3%
2021 50.13 377th 854 55.9%
2022 63.02 295th 1019 71.1%
2023 65.80 283rd 1013 72.1%
2024 75.70 170th 1024 83.4%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Nelson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.18 389th 1004 61.3%
2019 68.96 325th 1068 69.6%
2021 39.61 577th 1008 42.8%
2022 55.87 456th 1100 58.5%
2023 57.21 436th 1094 60.1%
2024 65.87 333rd 1093 69.5%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Nelson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 46.66 27th 50 46.0%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Nelson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.46 378th 999 62.2%
2019 68.22 332nd 1075 69.1%
2021 38.25 600th 1025 41.5%
2022 51.59 499th 1113 55.2%
2023 45.46 562nd 1099 48.9%
2024 59.46 422nd 1099 61.6%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Nelson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 22.79 151st 187 19.3%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Nelson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 66.48 23rd 108 78.7%
2023 71.19 17th 66 74.2%
2024 54.12 29th 71 59.2%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Nelson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 82.37 64th 540 88.1%
2019 82.49 74th 697 89.4%
2021 44.51 234th 501 53.3%
2022 40.71 395th 694 43.1%
2023 73.11 111th 633 82.5%
2024 72.30 135th 651 79.3%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Nelson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.16 383rd 833 54.0%
2019 70.69 302nd 1027 70.6%
2021 47.27 490th 943 48.0%
2022 61.27 378th 1031 63.3%
2023 52.23 474th 1011 53.1%
2024 58.93 400th 1009 60.4%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Nelson Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Open Quote Nelson is an all-around excellent school. Top notch teachers, dynamic administration, state of the art facility. Great families and pleasant environment. Conveniently located next to Jr. High and High School. Highly recommend; we have been nothing but pleased. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Nelson Elementary School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2010 491 20 31 68 11 n/a n/a 0 621
2011 535 21 25 57 13 9 12 0 672
2012 495 28 20 68 12 15 16 0 654
2013 510 26 19 69 13 10 26 0 673
2014 413 16 18 58 15 11 33 0 564
2015 410 7 14 76 10 12 54 0 583
2016 372 12 8 98 7 11 67 0 575
2017 351 17 7 95 3 10 62 0 545
2018 349 19 9 91 2 5 56 0 531
2019 347 23 16 98 4 14 80 0 582
2020 382 34 39 137 5 30 101 0 728
2021 329 43 43 121 10 37 101 0 684
2022 329 63 50 108 6 29 113 1 699
2023 337 64 42 118 9 27 110 0 707
2024 340 68 47 127 9 26 121 1 739

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Nelson Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2010 621 30.1 20.5 33.7
2011 672 32.2 20.8 23.1
2012 654 32.0 20.4 35.5
2013 673 32.8 20.5 27.2
2014 564 n/a n/a 38.3
2015 583 35.0 16.6 39.8
2016 575 34.0 16.9 36
2017 545 33.5 16.2 43.7
2018 531 32.6 16.2 34.3
2019 582 38.3 15.1 33
2020 728 44.4 16.3 33.9
2021 684 44.9 15.2 33.9
2022 699 44.8 15.6 29.9
2023 707 42.0 16.8 46.4
2024 739 41.8 17.6 48.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Nelson Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2010 621 30.1 20.5 33.7
2011 672 32.2 20.8 23.1
2012 654 32.0 20.4 35.5
2013 673 32.8 20.5 27.2
2014 564 n/a n/a 38.3
2015 583 35.0 16.6 39.8
2016 575 34.0 16.9 36
2017 545 33.5 16.2 43.7
2018 531 32.6 16.2 34.3
2019 582 38.3 15.1 33
2020 728 44.4 16.3 33.9
2021 684 44.9 15.2 33.9
2022 699 44.8 15.6 29.9
2023 707 42.0 16.8 46.4
2024 739 41.8 17.6 48.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Kindergarten Immunization Rates

Nelson Elementary School

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Compare
YearCompletely ImmunizedReligious ExemptionMedical ExemptionConditionalPersonal ExemptionPolioDiphtheriaHepatitis BVaricellaMMRPertussisMeaslesMumpsRubellaTetanus
201688.6%0.0%0.0%3.4%93.2%93.2%94.3%89.8%94.3%93.2%
201796.3%1.3%0.0%1.3%2.5%97.5%98.8%97.5%96.3%98.8%98.8%
201893.7%0.0%0.0%2.5%3.8%96.2%93.7%97.5%97.5%97.5%93.7%
201991.8%0.0%2.1%2.1%4.1%93.8%92.8%94.9%92.8%94.9%92.8%
202094.6%2.3%0.8%0.8%2.3%96.9%96.2%96.9%95.4%96.2%96.9%96.9%96.9%96.2%
202183.9%0.0%0.9%0.0%0.0%84.8%84.8%89.3%87.5%84.8%87.5%87.5%87.5%84.8%
202299.1%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%99.1%100.0%99.1%100.0%100.0%99.1%99.1%99.1%100.0%
202383.5%0.0%0.0%2.4%0.0%87.4%85.8%89.0%87.4%85.8%89.0%89.0%89.0%85.8%
202480.2%0.0%0.0%1.7%0.0%82.8%81.0%86.2%81.9%81.0%83.6%83.6%83.6%81.0%

Data source: Washington State Department of Health

Immunization Rates (Entire school)

Nelson Elementary School

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Compare
YearCompletely ImmunizedReligious ExemptionMedical ExemptionPersonal ExemptionPolioDiphtheriaHepatitis BVaricellaMMRPertussis
201995.3%0.3%1.0%3.0%96.6%97.1%97.5%97.0%97.7%97.0%

Data source: Washington State Department of Health
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Nelson Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $234 (1.7%) $13,708 (98.3%) $13,942
2020 $92 (0.9%) $9,756 (99.1%) $9,848
2021 $290 (1.7%) $16,593 (98.3%) $16,883
2022 $456 (2.7%) $16,515 (97.3%) $16,970

Data source: Washington Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Nelson Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 333rd of 1130 Elementary schoolsRanks 523rd of 1169 Elementary schools
 15.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Nelson Elementary School)5053.3
 3.3%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Bethel School District)61.246.6
 14.6%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Washington)56.348.9
 7.4%
3rd Grade Math (Nelson Elementary School)71.157.7
 13.3%
   3rd Grade Math (Bethel School District)66.749.1
 17.6%
   3rd Grade Math (Washington)5951.6
 7.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Nelson Elementary School)6441.4
 22.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Bethel School District)60.647.2
 13.5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Washington)57.750.1
 7.6%
4th Grade Math (Nelson Elementary School)62.845.1
 17.8%
   4th Grade Math (Bethel School District)57.646.1
 11.5%
   4th Grade Math (Washington)54.949.4
 5.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Nelson Elementary School)75.354.9
 20.4%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Bethel School District)63.652.3
 11.3%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Washington)61.353.8
 7.6%
5th Grade Math (Nelson Elementary School)63.444.6
 18.8%
   5th Grade Math (Bethel School District)51.441.7
 9.7%
   5th Grade Math (Washington)49.142
 7.1%
5th Grade Science (Nelson Elementary School)6748.5
 18.5%
   5th Grade Science (Bethel School District)5148
 3%
   5th Grade Science (Washington)54.152.3
 1.8%
All Grades English Language Arts (Nelson Elementary School)62.649.9
 12.8%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Bethel School District)58.948.7
 10.2%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Washington)6152.9
 8.1%
All Grades Math (Nelson Elementary School)65.949.6
 16.3%
   All Grades Math (Bethel School District)46.835.4
 11.4%
   All Grades Math (Washington)50.141
 9%
All Grades Science (Nelson Elementary School)6748.5
 18.5%
   All Grades Science (Bethel School District)44.141.5
 2.6%
   All Grades Science (Washington)52.748.8
 4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students582707
 21.5%
African American2364
 178.3%
American Indian49
 125%
Asian1642
 162.5%
Hispanic98118
 20.4%
Pacific Islander1427
 92.9%
White347337
 2.9%
Two or More Races80110
 37.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients33%46.4%
 13.4%


Schools Near Nelson Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Nelson Elementary School

Students who attend Nelson Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Frontier Middle School
High : Graham Kapowsin High School

Students at Nelson Elementary School are 46% White, 17% Hispanic, 16% Two or more races, 9% African American, 6% Asian, 4% Pacific Islander, 1% American Indian.

Nelson Elementary School ranks 401st of 1168 Washington elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2023-24 school year, 739 students attended Nelson Elementary School.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Washington State Department of Health and the Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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