Martin Luther King Jr. School

I moved from WA and was looking for Mandarin language immersion for my child. PPS only has 3 elementary schools with the MIP and the other 2 schools were completely full. In comparison, MLK invited us to visit, see the classes, and speak to the teachers. I witnessed a diverse and vibrant community with passionate instructors. What I observed at my visit has held true through the past semester my child has been enrolled. I was worried about my child starting a new language as a 1st grader with no prior experience but Gao laoshi has done an amazing job getting her up to speed. She’s made wonderful friends and enjoys going to school. She has also made steady academic progress, particularly noticeable in reading (which she did not enjoy before). Her class is a 1:14 ratio although that might change next year (they try really hard to keep the lower grades small when students are just acclimating to school and learning fundamentals). There is also an active PTA and good community ties. MLK may not be for everyone. However, it’s been a great fit for our family, which was looking for a diverse and caring community where character is emphasized.

King is our neighborhood school and I am so glad that my daughter has been able to attend here. I was initially worried about the test scores and grades on sites like greatschools, but what these standardizes scores mask is a diverse and vibrant community of learners, educators and parents who are working together to make King an amazing place. I am so glad that I opted to bring my daughter here rather than a charter school far away. I feel like we are a part of the fabric of this community. My daughter is a gifted child, and she is definitely getting the individualized attention that she needs to excel. I strongly recommend this school.

Our daughter has been in the Mandarin Immersion Program since it began several years ago. Beings the program is new to the school the pioneer grades have seen some turmoil. The school has reacted appropriately to our concerns and communicates clearly with parents. Don't trust test scores alone, the "soft" skills that our daughter has learned at MLK School will prove valuable later in life. Mandarin language and Chinese cultural knowledge will serve these kids well.

Both of our kids go to MLK, Jr. school in the MIP program. We've had a great experience with teachers, school administration and the community. There is so much more to this school than test scores! Student teacher ratios are low so kids get more individualized attention, all students have the opportunity to learn Mandarin (even those not in the MIP). If this is your neighborhood school I strongly recommend that you give it a chance.

This is a community where every child is known, class size is small and there are rising expectations for the kids and families. It is not a simple community or one with a single dominant culture. Hard and fair questions are raised as we all try to deliver the best education and opportunities for all the kids in the building. But there's no question in my mind - everyone is striving to do their best by the kids.