Sunset Elementary

Summary:

Sunset Elementary is a public elementary school in Bellevue, Washington, serving 536 students in grades PK-5. It is part of the highly-ranked Issaquah School District, which is ranked 3rd out of 247 districts in the state.

Sunset Elementary stands out for its diverse student population, with a higher percentage of non-White students (52.58%) and a significant Asian student population (27.8%) compared to nearby schools. The school consistently performs well academically, ranking in the top 15% of Washington elementary schools over the past 7 years. Sunset's students excel in English Language Arts, with 69-70% proficient or better, outpacing the state average of 53%. In math, the school's proficiency rates (66-70%) are also higher than the state average (around 40%), though lower than the Issaquah School District average (around 72%).

While Sunset Elementary is a strong-performing school, it is not the top-ranked in the Issaquah district. Schools like Creekside Elementary and Discovery Elementary have higher overall academic proficiency. However, Sunset outperforms some Bellevue School District schools, such as Puesta del Sol and Lake Hills Elementary. Sunset's diverse student population, consistent high performance, and relatively high per-student spending make it a strong choice for families in the Bellevue area.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 4229 W Lake Samm Pkwy SE
       Bellevue, WA  98008-5981


(425) 837-5601

District: Issaquah School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
162nd of 1,168 Washington Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,405 Help


Students who attend Sunset Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Issaquah Middle School
High:    Issaquah High School

Student/teacher ratio:  15.0 Help
Number of students:  536

Racial breakdown:

White:
41.4%
Asian:
27.8%
Two or more races:
14.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  17.5% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Sunset Elementary ranks better than 86.1% of elementary schools in Washington. It also ranks 14th among 16 ranked elementary schools in the Issaquah School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 84.99. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Sunset Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (41.4%), Asian (27.8%), two or more races (14.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 17.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sunset Elementary is 15, which is the 6th best among 16 elementary schools in the Issaquah School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Sunset Elementary employs 35.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sunset Elementary is $17,405, which is the highest among 16 elementary schools in the Issaquah School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sunset Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Sunset Elementary 162nd of 1168 Washington public elementary schools. (See Sunset Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Issaquah School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Issaquah School District 3rd of 247 Washington school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Sunset Elementary.

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Rank History for Sunset Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Sunset Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 92.41 42nd 1026 95.9%
2005 87.68 95th 1031 90.8%
2006 87.71 77th 1051 92.7%
2007 86.62 82nd 1069 92.3%
2008 87.56 76th 1067 92.9%
2009 89.18 60th 1072 94.4%
2010 91.50 46th 1088 95.8%
2011 85.73 109th 1092 90.0%
2012 80.68 147th 1097 86.6%
2013 82.01 147th 1106 86.7%
2015 89.44 94th 1067 91.2%
2016 91.55 66th 1053 93.7%
2017 91.34 73rd 1056 93.1%
2018 85.40 128th 1054 87.9%
2019 85.80 134th 1130 88.1%
2021 86.34 144th 1107 87.0%
2022 83.64 181st 1169 84.5%
2023 86.25 150th 1169 87.2%
2024 84.99 162nd 1168 86.1%
See the entire list of Washington Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Sunset Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 73.02 66th 252 73.8%
2023 85.25 10th 194 94.8%
2024 91.91 5th 188 97.3%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Sunset Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 85.60 13th 213 93.9%
2023 89.43 22nd 254 91.3%
2024 68.18 75th 320 76.6%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Sunset Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 64.79 136th 566 76.0%
2022 58.07 142nd 478 70.3%
2023 44.03 168th 308 45.5%
2024 41.26 199th 339 41.3%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sunset Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 48.97 442nd 835 47.1%
2019 49.36 514th 979 47.5%
2021 90.45 30th 854 96.5%
2022 58.56 357th 1019 65.0%
2023 57.39 385th 1013 62.0%
2024 66.99 277th 1024 72.9%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Sunset Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 89.04 84th 1004 91.6%
2019 88.53 90th 1068 91.6%
2021 79.14 178th 1008 82.3%
2022 83.70 163rd 1100 85.2%
2023 86.32 124th 1094 88.7%
2024 80.87 186th 1093 83.0%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Sunset Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 79.74 191st 999 80.9%
2019 80.38 192nd 1075 82.1%
2021 88.91 112th 1025 89.1%
2022 82.48 178th 1113 84.0%
2023 83.59 166th 1099 84.9%
2024 86.64 129th 1099 88.3%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Sunset Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.87 68th 169 59.8%
2019 65.26 72nd 201 64.2%
2021 58.81 63rd 131 51.9%
2022 66.76 75th 187 59.9%
2023 67.49 55th 170 67.6%
2024 63.44 61st 163 62.6%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sunset Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 89.36 22nd 501 95.6%
2022 57.83 225th 694 67.6%
2023 61.13 204th 633 67.8%
2024 55.00 284th 651 56.4%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Sunset Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.51 132nd 833 84.2%
2019 85.63 100th 1027 90.3%
2021 87.22 97th 943 89.7%
2022 84.98 120th 1031 88.4%
2023 84.78 128th 1011 87.3%
2024 83.49 135th 1009 86.6%
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.

Sunset Elementary 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: 3.7)
33%

33%

0%

33%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Sunday, June 7, 2015

Open Quote The new principal, Amanda Dorey, is phenomenal - she is a great administrator, listens to parents, cares about the students, and is already making positive changes at the school. The education is very strong, but as with all public schools, it's hard to get classroom sizes down to what private schools can achieve. That said, I'm impressed with how well they do address children's needs. My one complaint is that homework doesn't get reviewed (at least not in my daughter's first grade class), which is fine, but I didn't find that out until halfway through the school year. I'm happy to take a more active role giving my daughter feedback, I just need to know that's the plan. The PTA is very active and influential, but you see a lot of the same faces - I'd love to see more volunteers get involved. My daughter is very happy, learning quickly, and is confident and excited about school. I couldn't ask for more than that. Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, September 1, 2014

Open Quote While the school does an okay job with students who naturally do well; they don't do so well with the kids that struggle and need additional support or help. Administration drags their feet in solving issues. A lot of talk; not much action. Disappointing. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Sunset Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1991 589 6 47 8 4 n/a n/a 0 654
1992 595 4 71 8 1 n/a n/a 0 679
1993 448 5 43 9 1 n/a n/a 0 506
1994 407 3 43 9 1 n/a n/a 0 463
1995 458 6 51 11 3 n/a n/a 0 529
1996 458 6 51 11 3 n/a n/a 0 529
1997 481 4 46 5 3 n/a n/a 0 539
1998 466 3 52 11 3 n/a n/a 0 535
1999 454 1 70 8 4 n/a n/a 0 537
2000 499 1 96 9 4 n/a n/a 0 609
2001 516 0 90 9 6 n/a n/a 0 621
2002 485 2 83 18 1 n/a n/a 0 589
2003 485 2 83 18 1 n/a n/a 0 589
2004 470 7 100 12 3 n/a n/a 0 592
2005 498 13 109 19 2 n/a n/a 0 641
2006 482 11 120 23 3 n/a n/a 5 644
2007 423 11 135 23 4 n/a n/a 7 603
2008 418 12 140 24 3 n/a n/a 5 602
2009 433 15 170 25 4 n/a n/a 4 651
2010 407 14 170 34 5 n/a n/a 4 634
2011 409 18 154 37 4 5 28 0 655
2012 425 12 134 36 4 5 35 0 651
2013 420 14 132 33 3 4 42 0 648
2014 416 14 124 37 3 4 37 0 635
2015 417 12 133 41 3 4 44 0 654
2016 415 14 130 44 2 1 48 0 654
2017 389 12 128 46 1 4 56 0 636
2018 384 13 136 38 1 3 51 0 626
2019 356 22 136 48 1 2 53 0 618
2020 341 22 162 59 1 5 60 0 650
2021 268 18 164 54 1 4 59 0 568
2022 236 14 152 56 0 4 68 0 530
2023 222 24 149 61 1 0 79 0 536

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 Sunset Elementary

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1991 654 31.2 20.9 n/a
1992 679 32.0 21.2 n/a
1993 506 23.0 22.0 n/a
1994 463 23.5 19.7 n/a
1995 529 23.9 22.1 n/a
1996 529 23.9 22.1 n/a
1997 539 24.9 21.6 n/a
1998 535 24.9 21.5 n/a
1999 537 25.2 21.3 n/a
2000 609 29.1 20.9 n/a
2001 621 29.5 21.1 n/a
2002 589 29.4 20.0 6.5
2003 589 29.4 20.0 6.5
2004 592 33.0 17.9 n/a
2005 641 33.3 19.2 0
2006 644 33.7 19.1 5.3
2007 603 32.2 18.7 6.2
2008 602 31.2 19.3 6.2
2009 651 31.2 20.9 7.6
2010 634 32.2 19.6 7.1
2011 655 31.4 20.8 6.6
2012 651 30.5 21.2 8.3
2013 648 31.5 20.5 9.7
2014 635 n/a n/a 8.7
2015 654 41.0 15.9 8.4
2016 654 32.0 20.4 6.7
2017 636 33.6 18.9 7.4
2018 626 33.5 18.6 7.3
2019 618 37.8 16.3 8.4
2020 650 37.6 17.2 10.5
2021 568 39.2 14.4 10.2
2022 530 36.5 14.5 14
2023 536 35.6 15.0 17.5

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 Sunset Elementary

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1991 654 31.2 20.9 n/a
1992 679 32.0 21.2 n/a
1993 506 23.0 22.0 n/a
1994 463 23.5 19.7 n/a
1995 529 23.9 22.1 n/a
1996 529 23.9 22.1 n/a
1997 539 24.9 21.6 n/a
1998 535 24.9 21.5 n/a
1999 537 25.2 21.3 n/a
2000 609 29.1 20.9 n/a
2001 621 29.5 21.1 n/a
2002 589 29.4 20.0 6.5
2003 589 29.4 20.0 6.5
2004 592 33.0 17.9 n/a
2005 641 33.3 19.2 0
2006 644 33.7 19.1 5.3
2007 603 32.2 18.7 6.2
2008 602 31.2 19.3 6.2
2009 651 31.2 20.9 7.6
2010 634 32.2 19.6 7.1
2011 655 31.4 20.8 6.6
2012 651 30.5 21.2 8.3
2013 648 31.5 20.5 9.7
2014 635 n/a n/a 8.7
2015 654 41.0 15.9 8.4
2016 654 32.0 20.4 6.7
2017 636 33.6 18.9 7.4
2018 626 33.5 18.6 7.3
2019 618 37.8 16.3 8.4
2020 650 37.6 17.2 10.5
2021 568 39.2 14.4 10.2
2022 530 36.5 14.5 14
2023 536 35.6 15.0 17.5

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

Sunset Elementary

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YearCompletely ImmunizedReligious ExemptionMedical ExemptionConditionalPersonal ExemptionPolioDiphtheriaHepatitis BVaricellaMMRPertussisMeaslesMumpsRubellaTetanus
201693.0%0.0%2.3%2.3%98.8%100.0%96.5%100.0%97.7%100.0%
201791.0%0.0%1.0%2.0%5.0%96.0%95.0%96.0%93.0%95.0%95.0%
201889.9%0.0%3.4%0.0%6.7%91.0%91.0%94.4%89.9%89.9%91.0%
201993.5%0.0%0.0%0.0%5.6%95.4%95.4%97.2%93.5%95.4%95.4%
202092.2%1.0%1.0%1.0%2.9%95.2%95.2%96.1%94.2%94.2%96.1%96.1%96.1%95.2%
202198.7%0.0%0.0%0.0%1.3%98.7%98.7%98.7%98.7%98.7%100.0%100.0%100.0%98.7%
202296.3%1.3%1.3%1.3%1.3%97.5%97.5%97.5%97.5%97.5%98.8%98.8%98.8%97.5%
202396.4%0.0%0.0%2.4%0.0%97.6%97.6%100.0%100.0%97.6%100.0%100.0%100.0%97.6%
202490.9%3.0%0.0%0.0%1.5%93.9%93.9%93.9%92.4%93.9%95.5%95.5%95.5%93.9%

Data source: Washington State Department of Health

Immunization Rates (Entire school)

Sunset Elementary

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Compare
YearCompletely ImmunizedReligious ExemptionMedical ExemptionPersonal ExemptionPolioDiphtheriaHepatitis BVaricellaMMRPertussis
201994.2%0.2%0.7%3.9%97.1%97.6%96.8%96.1%97.1%97.8%

Data source: Washington State Department of Health
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Sunset Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $129 (0.9%) $14,654 (99.1%) $14,783
2020 $178 (15.0%) $1,012 (85.0%) $1,190
2021 $485 (2.9%) $16,001 (97.1%) $16,486
2022 $1,447 (8.3%) $15,958 (91.7%) $17,405

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Sunset Elementary

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 134th of 1130 Elementary schoolsRanks 150th of 1169 Elementary schools
 1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Sunset Elementary)82.370.6
 11.7%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Issaquah School District)75.876.6
 0.8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Washington)56.348.9
 7.4%
3rd Grade Math (Sunset Elementary)86.170.2
 15.8%
   3rd Grade Math (Issaquah School District)81.679.7
 1.9%
   3rd Grade Math (Washington)5951.6
 7.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Sunset Elementary)77.167.4
 9.7%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Issaquah School District)78.378
 0.3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Washington)57.750.1
 7.6%
4th Grade Math (Sunset Elementary)69.771.4
 1.7%
   4th Grade Math (Issaquah School District)78.679.3
 0.8%
   4th Grade Math (Washington)54.949.4
 5.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Sunset Elementary)76.373.3
 3%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Issaquah School District)82.782.1
 0.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Washington)61.353.8
 7.6%
5th Grade Math (Sunset Elementary)6368.9
 5.8%
   5th Grade Math (Issaquah School District)76.777.1
 0.4%
   5th Grade Math (Washington)49.142
 7.1%
5th Grade Science (Sunset Elementary)71.767.8
 4%
   5th Grade Science (Issaquah School District)78.380.5
 2.1%
   5th Grade Science (Washington)54.152.3
 1.8%
All Grades English Language Arts (Sunset Elementary)78.370.3
 8%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Issaquah School District)81.378.7
 2.6%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Washington)6152.9
 8.1%
All Grades Math (Sunset Elementary)72.170.2
 1.9%
   All Grades Math (Issaquah School District)77.272.6
 4.7%
   All Grades Math (Washington)50.141
 9%
All Grades Science (Sunset Elementary)71.767.8
 4%
   All Grades Science (Issaquah School District)79.577.8
 1.7%
   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 Students618536
 13.3%
African American2224
 9.1%
American Indian11
Asian136149
 9.6%
Hispanic4861
 27.1%
Pacific Islander20
 100%
White356222
 37.6%
Two or More Races5379
 49.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients8.4%17.5%
 9.1%


Schools Near Sunset Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Sunset Elementary

Sunset Elementary ranks 162nd of 1168 Washington elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students at Sunset Elementary are 41% White, 28% Asian, 15% Two or more races, 11% Hispanic, 4% African American.

In the 2022-23 school year, 536 students attended Sunset Elementary.

Students who attend Sunset Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Issaquah Middle School
High : Issaquah High 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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