Kelso High School

Kelso High School is one of the big senior highs in Kelso, Washington, part of Kelso School District, with 1,390 students on its rolls from grades 9 through 12. Enrollment runs roughly 143% bigger than the state mean of about 573.

Kelso School District runs 13 schools in total, collectively educating 4,960 students. Kelso High School is one of those campuses.

Looking at the student body, Kelso High School logs that White students make up the majority at 69%. Other groups include 20% Hispanic, 6% multiracial, 2% Pacific Islander. By comparison, Cowlitz County as a whole is about 83% White, so the school skews considerably less White than its surroundings.

In terms of school funding signals, On paper, Kelso High School has 74 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 18.8:1. The state averages around 21.6:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. About 54% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment.

In the surrounding community, community-level numbers for Cowlitz County indicate median household income runs about $76,531, 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 8%. Kelso High School is one of 48 public schools in Cowlitz County (combined enrollment of about 17,080 students).

Nearest neighbor: Loowit High School, around 0.0 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

The campus sits in an urban setting.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Kelso High School has declined 14%, going from 1,613 students in 2018 to 1,390 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 74% to 69% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 20.9:1 in 2018 to 18.8:1 today.

On allk12, posts here usually surface around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.