North Star Elementary

Set in Graham, Washington, North Star Elementary is a middle-of-the-pack K-5 school, one of the schools within Bethel School District. It serves 446 students across grades K through 5.

Bethel School District runs 39 schools in total, collectively educating 21,732 students. North Star Elementary is one of those campuses.

Looking at the student body, North Star Elementary reports that the largest single group is White, at 56% of enrollment. Other groups include 18% Hispanic, 16% multiracial, 4% Pacific Islander, 2% Black.

In terms of school funding signals, North Star Elementary shows 31 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 14.5:1. The state averages around 17.3:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Around 52% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

With demographic context factored in, North Star Elementary tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 45.3% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 53.7%.

In the area at large, ACS estimates for Pierce County put median household earnings sit near $99,564, about 31% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 6% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Pierce County's 287 public schools (combined enrollment of about 138,462 students), North Star Elementary is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Bethel Virtual Academy, roughly 1.0 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. On composite proficiency, North Star Elementary comes 4th of 8 in the immediate cluster, above the nearby-schools average of 47.3%.

North Star Elementary operates from a suburban location.

Trend over the last 7 years. North Star Elementary's enrollment has fell 7% since 2018, when it stood at 481 (now 446). The White share of enrollment fell from 61% to 56% over that span. Class-load math has pulled in: from 16.6:1 in 2018 to 14.5:1 in 2025.

On allk12, posts here usually surface around sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.