Shaw Island Elementary School

44 Hoffman Cove Road
Shaw Island, WA 98286

9 Students

Elementary School K - 8th

School Overview

Shaw Island Elementary School is a unique, historic educational institution located on Shaw Island in the San Juan archipelago of Washington State. As one of the smallest public schools in the United States, it serves as a central hub for the close-knit, rural island community. The school is known for its intimate learning environment, where multigrade classrooms and low student-to-teacher ratios allow for highly individualized instruction and a personalized approach to education that is tailored to the needs of the island’s youth.

Because of its remote location, the school emphasizes a strong connection to the local environment, often incorporating the surrounding natural landscape into its curriculum. Operated within the Lopez Island School District, it provides essential continuity for families residing on the island who value a traditional, community-focused upbringing for their children. The school stands as a testament to the commitment of rural Washington communities to provide quality public education regardless of geographic isolation.

Total Students

2.0

Full-Time Teachers

4.5

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Shaw Island Elementary School
Demographic	Student Count
White	9

White
9 (100.0 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	N/A
District:	Shaw Island School District
Phone:	(360)468-2570
Grade Range:	K - 8th
Total Students:	9
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	2.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	4.5
NSLP Participation:¹	No
Qualified Free Lunch:	N/A
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	N/A

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 1 3

Grade 2 1

Grade 4 1

Grade 7 4