Best Washington public schools
Eight rankings of Washington's public schools from the latest NCES + state-assessment data. Unlike most school rankings, this list leads with BeatsExpectations: a demographics-adjusted score that asks how a school performs relative to what its student population would predict, not just in absolute terms.
Washington schools outperforming demographics
Top schools by BeatsExpectations score. Demographically-adjusted; a +20 here means the school posts 20 more proficiency points than its FRL profile predicts.| # | School | City | Beats by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northport High School | Northport | +39.7pp |
| 2 | Rainier Prep | Seattle | +28.5pp |
| 3 | Beachwood Elementary School | JBLM Lewis North | +28.3pp |
| 4 | Northport Elementary School | Northport | +27.3pp |
| 5 | Ness Elementary | SPOKANE | +26.3pp |
| 6 | Westview Elementary | Spokane | +24.5pp |
| 7 | Whittier Elementary | Everett | +24.3pp |
| 8 | Union Gap School | Union Gap | +24.0pp |
| 9 | Garfield Elementary School | Everett | +23.4pp |
| 10 | Ahtanum Valley Elementary | Yakima | +23.4pp |
| 11 | Silver Lake Elementary | Everett | +22.9pp |
| 12 | Meridian Park Elementary School | Shoreline | +22.5pp |
| 13 | James Sales Elementary | Tacoma | +22.0pp |
| 14 | Federal Way Public Academy | FEDERAL WAY | +21.6pp |
| 15 | Cascadia Elementary | Seattle | +21.5pp |
Washington Title I schools beating the odds
High-poverty schools (60%+ FRL) ranking in the top quartile of their state's proficiency.| # | School | City | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ahtanum Valley Elementary | Yakima | 60.4% |
| 2 | View Ridge Elementary | Everett | 59.7% |
| 3 | Rainier Prep | Seattle | 59.0% |
| 4 | Westview Elementary | Spokane | 57.8% |
| 5 | North Central High School | Spokane | 56.0% |
| 6 | Ness Elementary | SPOKANE | 56.0% |
| 7 | Garfield Elementary School | Everett | 55.7% |
| 8 | Silver Lake Elementary | Everett | 55.2% |
| 9 | Camas Prairie Elementary | Spanaway | 55.1% |
| 10 | Wide Hollow Elementary | Yakima | 54.9% |
| 11 | Moxee Elementary | Moxee | 54.4% |
| 12 | Jackson Elementary School | Everett | 54.2% |
| 13 | Lincoln Heights Elementary | Spokane | 52.2% |
| 14 | Northport Elementary School | Northport | 51.9% |
| 15 | James Sales Elementary | Tacoma | 51.7% |
Washington schools by raw proficiency
The traditional ranking: highest combined math + reading proficiency on the state assessment.| # | School | City | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cascadia Elementary | Seattle | 96.5% |
| 2 | Medina Elementary School | MEDINA | 92.5% |
| 3 | Christa Mcauliffe Elementary | Sammamish | 92.1% |
| 4 | Somerset Elementary School | Bellevue | 91.2% |
| 5 | Sunrise Elementary | Redmond | 91.2% |
| 6 | Cascade Ridge Elementary | SAMMAMISH | 91.1% |
| 7 | Frantz Coe Elementary School | SEATTLE | 88.6% |
| 8 | Cherry Crest Elementary School | Bellevue | 88.3% |
| 9 | Tambark Creek Elementary School | Bothell | 88.2% |
| 10 | Island Park Elementary | Mercer Island | 88.0% |
| 11 | Endeavour Elementary School | ISSAQUAH | 87.6% |
| 12 | Lakeridge Elementary School | Mercer Island | 87.3% |
| 13 | Samantha Smith Elementary | Sammamish | 87.1% |
| 14 | John Stanford International School | SEATTLE | 87.0% |
| 15 | Capt Johnston Blakely Elem Sch | Bainbridge Island | 86.9% |
Washington schools with the lowest student-teacher ratios
Schools with 200+ students reporting the fewest students per teacher. Excludes virtual.| # | School | City | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lummi Nation Tribal School | Bellingham | 5.8:1 |
| 2 | Interagency Programs | SEATTLE | 6.1:1 |
| 3 | Chief Leschi School | Puyallup | 7.2:1 |
| 4 | Muckleshoot Tribal School | Auburn | 7.3:1 |
| 5 | Terrace Park Elementary | MTLK TERRACE | 7.9:1 |
| 6 | White Swan High School | White Swan | 9.4:1 |
| 7 | Leschi Elementary School | SEATTLE | 9.6:1 |
| 8 | Forks Middle School | Forks | 9.7:1 |
| 9 | Dunlap Elementary School | SEATTLE | 10.7:1 |
| 10 | Rising Star Elementary School | SEATTLE | 10.7:1 |
| 11 | Lowell Elementary School | SEATTLE | 10.9:1 |
| 12 | West Seattle Elementary School | SEATTLE | 11.0:1 |
| 13 | John Hay Elementary School | SEATTLE | 11.0:1 |
| 14 | Kalama Middle School | Kalama | 11.1:1 |
| 15 | Deer Park Elementary | Deer Park | 11.1:1 |
Fastest-growing Washington public schools, 2017-2024
Schools open in both years with 200+ enrollment in 2017, ranked by % change.| # | School | City | Enrollment Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spokane International Academy | Spokane | +103% |
| 2 | Three Rivers Home Link | Richland | +99% |
| 3 | Columbia Virtual Academy | Valley | +92% |
| 4 | Lynden Academy | Lynden | +85% |
| 5 | Thomas Middle School | Lakewood | +84% |
| 6 | Quincy Middle School | QUINCY | +82% |
| 7 | Mead Learning Options | SPOKANE | +77% |
| 8 | Columbia Virtual Academy - Kettle Falls | Kettle Falls | +74% |
| 9 | Mid-Columbia Parent Partnership | KENNEWICK | +70% |
| 10 | Amistad Elementary School | KENNEWICK | +66% |
| 11 | Northwood Elementary | Edgewood | +60% |
| 12 | Northwood Middle School | Renton | +57% |
| 13 | Jing Mei Elementary School | Bellevue | +56% |
| 14 | Soap Lake Elementary | SOAP LAKE | +56% |
| 15 | Salish Coast Elementary | Port Townsend | +55% |
Most racially diverse Washington public schools
Schools ranked by how balanced their student body is. The largest single racial group's share of enrollment, lowest first.| # | School | City | Max group |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pine Tree Elementary School | Kent | 22.0% White (67) |
| 2 | Expedition Elementary | PUYALLUP | 22.1% White (117) |
| 3 | Lister Elementary School | Tacoma | 22.6% Black (85) |
| 4 | Mann Elementary School | Tacoma | 23.5% White (80) |
| 5 | Lake Dolloff Elementary School | AUBURN | 23.6% Black (128) |
| 6 | Meredith Hill Elementary School | AUBURN | 24.6% Asian (112) |
| 7 | Foss High School | Tacoma | 24.7% Hispanic (148) |
| 8 | Cedarcrest Middle School | Spanaway | 25.0% White (191) |
| 9 | Canyon Ridge Middle School | Kent | 25.2% White (207) |
| 10 | Edna Travis Elementary School | Tacoma | 25.2% Black (85) |
| 11 | River Ridge Elementary | SeaTac | 25.3% Asian (176) |
| 12 | Kimball Elementary School | SEATTLE | 25.3% White (97) |
| 13 | George T. Daniel Elementary School | Kent | 25.3% Asian (74) |
| 14 | Chief Sealth International High School | SEATTLE | 25.5% White (302) |
| 15 | Green Gables Elementary School | FEDERAL WAY | 25.6% White (72) |
Largest Washington public schools
Brick-and-mortar schools ranked by total enrollment. Virtual schools excluded.| # | School | City | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chiawana Senior High School | Pasco | 3,127 |
| 2 | Tahoma Senior High School | Maple Valley | 2,919 |
| 3 | Pasco Senior High School | PASCO | 2,590 |
| 4 | Eastlake High School | Sammamish | 2,481 |
| 5 | South Kitsap High School | PORT ORCHARD | 2,448 |
| 6 | Issaquah High School | ISSAQUAH | 2,419 |
| 7 | Kamiak High School | Mukilteo | 2,384 |
| 8 | Davis High School | Yakima | 2,359 |
| 9 | Redmond High School | Redmond | 2,304 |
| 10 | Eisenhower High School | Yakima | 2,258 |
| 11 | Skyline High School | SAMMAMISH | 2,244 |
| 12 | Richland High School | Richland | 2,218 |
| 13 | Lake Stevens Sr High School | Lake Stevens | 2,205 |
| 14 | Kentridge High School | Kent | 2,186 |
| 15 | Mount Si High School | SNOQUALMIE | 2,152 |
Washington schools underperforming demographics
Bottom 10% within state by BeatsExpectations. Not a verdict, a starting question. A school may be in leadership transition or recovering from a demographic shift.| # | School | City | Beats by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cascade Public Schools | Des Moines | -51.5pp |
| 2 | Firwood | Steilacoom | -38.2pp |
| 3 | Intergenerational High School | Bellingham | -35.5pp |
| 4 | Concord International School | SEATTLE | -30.7pp |
| 5 | Adna Middle/High School | Chehalis | -27.3pp |
| 6 | Spokane Valley Learning Academy | Spokane Valley | -25.7pp |
| 7 | Two Rivers School | Snoqualmie | -25.3pp |
| 8 | The Center School | SEATTLE | -24.0pp |
| 9 | Rainier Valley Leadership Academy | Seattle | -23.1pp |
| 10 | 10th Street School | Marysville | -22.5pp |
| 11 | Preston Hall Middle School | Waitsburg | -22.1pp |
| 12 | Centennial Middle School | Snohomish | -21.9pp |
| 13 | Ferndale Virtual Academy | Ferndale | -21.8pp |
| 14 | Northwest Allprep | Prosser | -21.7pp |
| 15 | Enumclaw Sr High School | Enumclaw | -21.4pp |
About these rankings
These tables use the most recent NCES Common Core of Data (2024-25) for enrollment, demographics, and staffing, and state-native assessment data (typically 2023-24 or 2024-25) for proficiency. BeatsExpectations is computed via per-state ordinary-least-squares regression of composite proficiency on free-and-reduced-lunch share. Full methodology.
License: CC-BY 4.0. Reproduce these rankings anywhere with attribution to allk12.com. Press contact: [email protected].