Enrollment
249
Elementary
DISTRICT 226 · STATE 380
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·HIGHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT·NCES 530351000518
Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary
1181 Thompson Rd, Cowiche, WA 98923 · (509) 678-8900 · Yakima County
GRADES PK–02ELEMENTARY41-RURALTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL249 STUDENTS
·
allk12 Grade
Not graded
This school has no state test results for 2023-24 or 2024-25 to grade, which is common for schools that end before third grade. How grades work
Student : Teacher
16.9:1
15 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 17.0:1 · STATE 17.3:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
64%
159 students
DISTRICT 71% · STATE 51%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-K | 13 | 5% |
| Kindergarten | 97 | 39% |
| Grade 1 | 72 | 29% |
| Grade 2 | 67 | 27% |
Student demographics
41%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 36% · STATE 68% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Students here typically continue to
Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary→Tieton Elementary School→Highland Middle School→Highland High School
Based on grade levels within Highland School District. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
QUIET COMMUNITY
Be the first to start a discussion at Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary.
START A DISCUSSIONTest scores
Smarter Balanced + WCAS 2022-23 . % Met or Exceeded StandardEnglish Language Arts
45.6%
WA avg 49.0% . -5.5pp since 2014
Math
49.1%
WA avg 39.2% . -17.2pp since 2014
What this means: On the Smarter Balanced + WCAS, Washington's statewide test, about 46 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 49 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Washington schools, those numbers are about 49 and 39. Reading and writing scores are down about 6 points since 2014, while math scores are down about 17 points.
Smarter Balanced + WCAS results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 45.6% | 49.1% |
| 2021-22 | 31.9% | 27.5% |
| 2018-19 | 38.5% | 44.3% |
| 2017-18 | 45.2% | 55.9% |
| 2016-17 | 38.0% | 45.6% |
| 2015-16 | 53.3% | 56.7% |
| 2014-15 | 51.2% | 66.3% |
% Met or Exceeded Standard, all students and all tested grades.
Source: Smarter Balanced + WCAS. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
Schools most like Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary this school | 249 | 63.9% | N/A |
| Manson Elementary MANSON | 289 | 60.9% | N/A |
| Paul Rumburg Elementary ENTIAT | 231 | 70.1% | N/A |
| Mesa Elem Mesa | 220 | 69.1% | 35.9% |
| Rock Island Elementary Rock Island | 288 | 72.9% | N/A |
| Hilton Elementary School Zillah | 305 | 67.9% | N/A |
Matched among Washington elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Washington | In Yakima County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 49.1% | #460 of 1,103 ▲ 436 | #10 of 45 ▲ 17 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 45.6% | #610 of 1,102 ▲ 296 | #11 of 45 ▲ 13 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 249 | #1,049 of 1,268 | #48 of 52 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 16.9:1 | #806 of 1,085 | #41 of 51 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 40.5% | #910 of 1,088 | #22 of 51 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 63.9% | #373 of 1,169 | #44 of 51 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -28.2% | #146 of 778 | #8 of 40 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
249
-69 (-22%) vs 2020
-35% since 1990-91, when it was 382
Student : Teacher
16.9:1
was 17.7:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 249 | 14.7 | 16.9:1 | 64% (159) |
| 2023-24 | 281 | 17.9 | 15.7:1 | 74% (209) |
| 2022-23 | 327 | 20.4 | 16.1:1 | 80% (260) |
| 2020-21 | 318 | 18 | 17.7:1 | 66% (209) |
| 2017-18 | 347 | 21.8 | 15.9:1 | 82% (283) |
| 2015-16 | 356 | 21 | 16.9:1 | 81% (290) |
| 2010-11 | 363 | 21 | 17.3:1 | 63% (229) |
| 2000-01 | 494 | 27 | 18.3:1 | N/A |
| 1990-91 | 382 | 19 | 20.1:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary.
Since 2017-18: students down 28% (347 to 249); teachers down 32% (21.8 to 14.7).
About Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary
Federal records list Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary as an elementary school in Cowiche, Washington. It is open to students in pre-K through 2 and enrolls 249 students. It has 34% fewer students than the average for elementary schools in Washington (about 380).
Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary is part of a district of 4 schools: Highland School District, with 1,060 students.
Of every 100 students at Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary, about 73 are Hispanic. The rest of enrollment is 26% White. Among all residents of Yakima County, the Hispanic share is about 52%. Measured by the diversity index, the student body scores 41%.
With 14.7 full-time-equivalent teachers, the student-to-teacher ratio is about 16.9:1. The ratio is within a point of the 17.3:1 average for elementary schools in Washington. Student poverty is often measured by lunch eligibility; at Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary, 64% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The rate at public schools in Yakima County averages 77%, higher than here.
Yakima County is the school's county. There, the median household earns about $70,656 a year, roughly 19% of adults have a four-year degree or more, and the share of residents below the poverty line is 12%. Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary shares Yakima County with 118 other public schools.
Highland Middle School is about 1.4 miles away, making it the nearest public school. Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary is one of several public schools in the area, with 6 others within five miles.
Federal records code the school's setting as Rural: Fringe.
Over the 4 years from 2020-21 to 2024-25, enrollment fell 22%.
The Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary discussion page is a place for homework, tutoring, and testing dates. You can also rate the school on this page.
Yakima County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
257,152
Census ACS
Median income
$70,656
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
19%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
12%
Below federal line
Schools in county
119
52,145 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Highland School District
- Highland High SchoolHigh · 366 students
- Highland Middle SchoolMiddle · 243 students
- Tieton Elementary SchoolElementary · 202 students
Other schools in Cowiche
- Highland High SchoolHigh · 366 students
- Highland Middle SchoolMiddle · 243 students
Nearby schools
- Highland Middle School1.4 mi · 243
- Highland High School1.4 mi · 366
- Tieton Elementary School4.3 mi · 202
- Naches Valley Elementary School4.5 mi · 482
- Mountainview Elementary4.9 mi · 238
- Naches Valley Middle School4.9 mi · 427
Frequently asked questions
About Marcus Whitman-Cowiche ElementaryHow many students attend Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary?
Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary enrolls approximately 249 students in grades PK-02.
Is Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary an elementary, middle, or high school?
Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary is an elementary school covering grades PK-02.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary?
The student-to-teacher ratio at Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary is approximately 16.9:1 (15 FTE teachers).
What is the racial breakdown of students at Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary?
At Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary, the student body is approximately 26% White, 73% Hispanic, 0% Black, 0% Asian, 1% Two or more.
Is Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary public or private?
Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary is a public K-12 school, overseen by Highland School District.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.