By Jenn Diaz, Special to The Seattle Medium
The 2024 Nation’s Report Card, released in January 2025, showed troubling national declines in reading and math scores, adding to a trend that began before the pandemic. Most troubling, the gap between the highest achievers and lowest achievers has continued to widen. Despite these national challenges, Washington’s charter public schools are emerging as bright spots, making significant strides with students who have been traditionally underserved.
Rainier Prep is one of the highest performing public schools in Washington. This charter public school continues to demonstrate impressive academic performance, with the latest release of statewide assessment scores offering further proof. Rainier Prep, a middle school in Seattle that has exceeded expectations, is delivering significant gains for students from historically underserved communities.
Rainier Prep is among many charter public schools driving success for all students. While charter public schools represent a relatively small percentage of Washington’s education landscape, with only 17 schools across the state, their impact is disproportionately large. These schools provide high-quality education tailored to meet the unique needs of their students, attracting families seeking effective, innovative public school options.
Public school students in Washington are required to take the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) test. Results reveal that, on average, charter public schools are performing on par with district public schools across core subjects like English Language Arts (ELA), science and mathematics. However, what truly sets charter public schools apart is their ability to drive success for students from low-income families, multilingual learners, and students of color.
Seattle’s Rainier Prep charter public school is proving to be a game-changer for students. Rainier Prep’s performance in the latest SBAC assessments underscores how these unique public schools are a lifeline for students who have historically struggled. In ELA, Rainier Prep students from low-income families scored an impressive 38.1 percentage points higher in proficiency compared to their Highline District School peers. Similarly, multilingual learners outperformed their counterparts by 32.7 points, and Black students exceeded district peers by 33 points.
In mathematics, Rainier Prep’s success continues. Students from low-income backgrounds outperformed their peers by 43.5 percentage points, while multilingual learners achieved a 33.8-point proficiency boost. Black students exceeded district-level performance by 38.1percentage points.
Rainier Prep exemplifies how charter public schools leverage flexibility to meet students’ needs, including longer instructional hours, specialized curricula, and smaller class sizes. These adaptive strategies allow charter schools to nurture student success, particularly for those who face educational barriers.
“We’ve seen firsthand how our personalized learning approach and commitment to each student’s success have transformed outcomes for our students,” said Karen Lobos, Executive Director of Rainier Prep. “The 2023-2024 Smarter Balanced Assessments reflect not just the hard work of our students and teachers, but also the unique model that allows us to tailor education to individual needs and help every child reach their full potential.”
Charter public schools, including Rainier Prep, are also growing in enrollment at a time when traditional public schools are experiencing significant declines. Over the past five years, Washington’s charter schools saw a 59% increase in student enrollment, reflecting the demand for high-quality public education options.
The latest SBAC results highlight that Washington’s charter public schools are living up to their promise of providing high-quality education for all students. While no system is perfect, the evidence suggests that Rainier Prep and other charters are making meaningful progress in closing achievement gaps and offering students a better chance of success.
With the right accountability measures in place and a commitment to continuous improvement, charter public schools are proving they can be a powerful force in improving public education for students across Washington. The achievements of schools like Rainier Prep provide a compelling case for expanding and supporting these innovative public school options. Read more about Rainier Prep and other charter public schools in Game Changers: How Washington’s Charter Public Schools Produce Exceptional Results for Students.
