Is Custer Elementary School a good school?

Custer Elementary School ranks 853 rd of 1168 Washington elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend Custer Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 299 students attended Custer Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Custer Elementary School?

Students at Custer Elementary School are 28% Hispanic, 20% Two or more races, 19% White, 17% African American, 8% Pacific Islander, 5% Not Specified, 3% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Custer Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Custer Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Hudtloff Middle School High : General William H. Harrison Preparatory School High : Lakes High School

Custer Elementary School

Summary:

Custer Elementary School is a public elementary school in Lakewood, Washington, serving 299 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Clover Park School District, which is ranked 183 out of 247 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Custer Elementary has a diverse student population, with a higher percentage of minority students compared to the state average. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by state assessments, is generally below the state and district averages. In the 2023-2024 school year, Custer's proficiency rates in English Language Arts (43.68%), Math (33.33%), and Science (29.63%) were all lower than the state averages. The school also has a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 81.61% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Custer Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of Washington elementary schools, with a ranking of 853 out of 1,168 schools in the 2023-2024 school year and a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Compared to nearby schools in the Clover Park School District, such as Idlewild Elementary, Oakbrook Elementary, and Dower Elementary, Custer Elementary's academic performance is generally lower, with these schools having higher proficiency rates and overall rankings. However, Custer's male students and low-socioeconomic status students perform better than the overall student population, and the school has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, which could be a potential strength.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

7801 Steilacoom Blvd SW
Lakewood, WA 98498-6198

(253) 583-5230

District: Clover Park School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
853^rd of 1,168 Washington Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $22,984

Students who attend Custer Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Hudtloff Middle School
High:	General William H. Harrison Preparatory School
	Lakes High School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.1

Number of students: 299

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

28.4%

Two or more races:

19.7%

White:

19.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 81.6%

See top rated Washington elementary schools

Compare Custer Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Custer Elementary School ranks worse than 73% of elementary schools in Washington. It also ranks 9^th among 16 ranked elementary schools in the Clover Park School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 27.92. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Custer Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (28.4%), two or more races (19.7%), White (19.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 81.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Custer Elementary School is 15.1. 8 elementary schools in the Clover Park School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Custer Elementary School employs 19.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Custer Elementary School is $22,984, which is the 2^nd highest among 16 elementary schools in the Clover Park School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Custer Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Custer Elementary School 853^rd of 1168 Washington public elementary schools. (See Custer Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Clover Park School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Clover Park School District 183^rd of 247 Washington school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Custer Elementary School.

What do you think?

Your rating for Custer Elementary School?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Custer Elementary School

Compare

Rank History for all students at Custer Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile
2004	47.77	550^th	1026	46.4%
2005	16.52	907^th	1031	12.0%
2006	25.99	846^th	1051	19.5%
2007	30.99	788^th	1069	26.3%
2008	37.47	709^th	1067	33.6%
2009	34.48	761^st	1072	29.0%
2010	28.63	848^th	1088	22.1%
2011	33.67	798^th	1092	26.9%
2012	17.43	979^th	1097	10.8%
2013	29.92	846^th	1106	23.5%
2015	17.74	924^th	1067	13.4%
2016	46.85	573^rd	1053	45.6%
2017	9.29	997^th	1056	5.6%
2019	17.98	957^th	1130	15.3%
2021	20.09	886^th	1107	20.0%
2022	25.89	887^th	1169	24.1%
2023	27.63	862^nd	1169	26.3%
2024	27.92	853^rd	1168	27.0%

See the entire list of Washington Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile
2019	42.03	604^th	979	38.3%
2021	44.37	444^th	854	48.0%
2022	41.45	610^th	1019	40.1%
2023	44.06	575^th	1013	43.2%
2024	44.23	591^st	1024	42.3%

See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Custer Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	29.96	748^th	1004	25.5%
2019	24.31	863^rd	1068	19.2%
2021	14.06	923^rd	1008	8.4%
2022	23.04	892^nd	1100	18.9%
2023	21.10	893^rd	1094	18.4%
2024	31.18	768^th	1093	29.7%

See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Custer Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	13.61	913^th	999	8.6%
2019	14.12	965^th	1075	10.2%
2021	31.44	689^th	1025	32.8%
2022	31.21	766^th	1113	31.2%
2023	33.39	738^th	1099	32.8%
2024	39.37	663^rd	1099	39.7%

See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Custer Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	22.35	696^th	833	16.4%
2019	6.38	1001^st	1027	2.5%

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.

Data source: Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)

50%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, July 13, 2020

We had to take our kids out of Custer because of Bullying and Racism. The Principal don’t care about the kids. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, February 25, 2020

My daughters have been attending Custer since day one of Kindergarten. My older is now a 5th grader and I also have a 1st grader and they BOTH LOVE IT! All the staff, from principals and teachers, to custodians and receptionist, they are all AMAZING! You can tell they all care about the well being and safety of the children along with ensuring that they are getting the education they need and deserve. I would not hesitate to enroll kids here and would recommend it to anyone and have nothing but kind words about the school and staff!!! Love my Custer Family Close Quote

Enrollment information for Custer Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	173	50	26	17	7	n/a	n/a	0	273
1989	209	56	16	18	8	n/a	n/a	0	307
1990	203	46	14	17	10	n/a	n/a	0	290
1991	204	49	24	20	8	n/a	n/a	0	305
1992	275	87	41	25	11	n/a	n/a	0	439
1993	210	51	31	25	6	n/a	n/a	0	323
1994	224	56	35	18	6	n/a	n/a	0	339
1995	288	72	37	20	7	n/a	n/a	0	424
1996	288	72	37	20	7	n/a	n/a	0	424
1997	211	63	24	21	7	n/a	n/a	0	326
1998	223	66	23	24	24	n/a	n/a	0	360
1999	224	72	25	36	2	n/a	n/a	0	359
2000	218	84	38	42	0	n/a	n/a	0	382
2001	179	62	23	34	4	n/a	n/a	0	302
2002	182	84	38	45	3	n/a	n/a	0	352
2003	182	84	38	45	3	n/a	n/a	0	352
2004	183	79	28	54	11	n/a	n/a	0	355
2005	166	68	28	53	12	n/a	n/a	0	327
2006	192	86	27	60	11	n/a	n/a	1	377
2007	168	65	32	50	6	n/a	n/a	4	325
2008	168	71	31	46	6	n/a	n/a	7	329
2009	146	74	24	39	5	n/a	n/a	16	304
2010	154	76	25	42	4	n/a	n/a	19	320
2011	134	68	12	66	1	6	36	0	323
2012	133	64	13	84	1	4	25	0	324
2013	158	59	8	80	2	7	24	0	338
2014	146	62	12	70	1	8	19	0	318
2015	143	52	15	80	1	12	15	0	318
2016	136	63	15	76	0	17	15	0	322
2017	130	69	17	64	0	16	17	0	313
2018	112	71	10	72	3	15	36	0	319
2019	110	60	6	76	2	15	35	0	304
2020	87	44	7	86	1	16	45	0	286
2021	70	39	6	77	1	17	55	2	267
2022	70	37	6	71	1	20	67	0	272
2023	57	50	8	85	1	24	59	15	299

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 Custer Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	273	22.0	12.4	0
1989	307	23.0	13.3	n/a
1990	290	19.0	15.2	0
1991	305	20.7	14.7	n/a
1992	439	17.9	24.5	n/a
1993	323	16.8	19.2	n/a
1994	339	17.2	19.7	n/a
1995	424	20.0	21.2	n/a
1996	424	20.0	21.2	n/a
1997	326	17.4	18.7	n/a
1998	360	16.4	22.0	n/a
1999	359	17.4	20.6	n/a
2000	382	17.2	22.2	n/a
2001	302	18.8	16.1	n/a
2002	352	22.0	16.0	61.6
2003	352	22.0	16.0	61.6
2004	355	21.0	16.9	67
2005	327	19.6	16.7	75.8
2006	377	19.5	19.3	80.6
2007	325	19.5	16.7	82.2
2008	329	18.3	18.0	79.5
2009	304	19.7	15.4	88.2
2010	320	19.2	16.6	90.7
2011	323	19.0	17.0	71.2
2012	324	19.4	16.6	75.9
2013	338	21.0	16.0	72.2
2014	318	n/a	n/a	72
2015	318	23.0	13.8	76.1
2016	322	22.0	14.6	81.1
2017	313	24.0	13.0	77.6
2018	319	23.5	13.5	69.3
2019	304	21.5	14.1	65.5
2020	286	21.7	13.1	78.7
2021	267	20.7	12.8	66.3
2022	272	22.1	12.2	83.8
2023	299	19.7	15.1	81.6

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 Custer Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	273	22.0	12.4	0
1989	307	23.0	13.3	n/a
1990	290	19.0	15.2	0
1991	305	20.7	14.7	n/a
1992	439	17.9	24.5	n/a
1993	323	16.8	19.2	n/a
1994	339	17.2	19.7	n/a
1995	424	20.0	21.2	n/a
1996	424	20.0	21.2	n/a
1997	326	17.4	18.7	n/a
1998	360	16.4	22.0	n/a
1999	359	17.4	20.6	n/a
2000	382	17.2	22.2	n/a
2001	302	18.8	16.1	n/a
2002	352	22.0	16.0	61.6
2003	352	22.0	16.0	61.6
2004	355	21.0	16.9	67
2005	327	19.6	16.7	75.8
2006	377	19.5	19.3	80.6
2007	325	19.5	16.7	82.2
2008	329	18.3	18.0	79.5
2009	304	19.7	15.4	88.2
2010	320	19.2	16.6	90.7
2011	323	19.0	17.0	71.2
2012	324	19.4	16.6	75.9
2013	338	21.0	16.0	72.2
2014	318	n/a	n/a	72
2015	318	23.0	13.8	76.1
2016	322	22.0	14.6	81.1
2017	313	24.0	13.0	77.6
2018	319	23.5	13.5	69.3
2019	304	21.5	14.1	65.5
2020	286	21.7	13.1	78.7
2021	267	20.7	12.8	66.3
2022	272	22.1	12.2	83.8
2023	299	19.7	15.1	81.6

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