Panther Lake Elementary School

Located at 34424 1ST AV S, in FEDERAL WAY, Washington, Panther Lake Elementary School is a reasonably sized primary school that works with 427 students (grades pre-K through 5), overseen by Federal Way School District.

Federal Way School District comprises 43 schools with combined enrollment of 22,250 students; Panther Lake Elementary School is among them.

On demographics, Panther Lake Elementary School lists that 33% of students identify as Hispanic, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. Other groups include 24% Black, 14% White, 13% Pacific Islander, 10% multiracial. That is meaningfully more Hispanic than the county at large, where the share is closer to 11%.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Staff filings list 26 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 16.8:1 students per teacher. The state averages about 17.3:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. An estimated 84% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. Set against King County (around 38%), the school's rate is meaningfully above typical.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Panther Lake Elementary School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 23.9%; this one delivers 24.0%.

Around the school, ACS estimates for King County put the typical household earns roughly $124,746 per year, about 57% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate sits near 5%. Panther Lake Elementary School is one of 544 public schools in King County (combined enrollment of about 278,492 students).

Nearest neighbor: Federal Way Public Academy, around 0.6 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Panther Lake Elementary School at 4th of 5; the average score across the group is 41.3%.

The campus sits in a suburban setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Panther Lake Elementary School has contracted 5%, going from 449 students in 2018 to 427 in 2025. Asian enrollment moved from 13% to 7% across the same window.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. The community welcomes input from current and former families.