The bulletin board for America's public schools. Parents, teachers, students, and staff. One community per school.
Schools›Washington›Bellingham
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·BELLINGHAM SCHOOL DISTRICT·NCES 530042001738

Options High School

2015 Franklin St, Bellingham, WA 98225 · (360) 647-6871 · Whatcom County
GRADES 09–12HIGH13-CITYTITLE IALTERNATIVE EDUCATION SCHOOL176 STUDENTS
Enrollment
176
High
DISTRICT 642 · STATE 573
Student : Teacher
8.7:1
20 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 18.2:1 · STATE 21.6:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
54%
95 students
DISTRICT 44% · STATE 51%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other high schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade
Grade 9
32
Grade 10
41
Grade 11
55
Grade 12
48
Student demographics
White
70%
DISTRICT 63% · STATE 47%
Hispanic
15%
DISTRICT 20% · STATE 27%
Black
1%
DISTRICT 2% · STATE 5%
Asian
1%
DISTRICT 5% · STATE 9%
Two+
3%
DISTRICT 9% · STATE 9%
Native American
2%
DISTRICT 1% · STATE 1%
Gender split
Male
42%
Female
51%

Discussions

HotNewTop
+ POST
QUIET COMMUNITY
Be the first to start a discussion at Options High School.
START A DISCUSSION
Recent discussions in Bellingham School District

Test scores

Smarter Balanced + WCAS 2024-25 . % Met or Exceeded Standard
English Language Arts
28.6%
own-school result
Math
10.7%
own-school result
State assessment results for this school reflect a specialized student population. The figures above are the school's own reported scores; they are not directly comparable to state averages or to general-enrollment schools, so the usual state-average comparison line is suppressed here.
Source: Smarter Balanced + WCAS. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →

BeatsExpectations

Not computed for this school
BeatsExpectations is not computed for specialized-population schools (schools for the deaf or blind, therapeutic and behavioral-health placements, juvenile-justice and alternative-education settings, and similar). State ELA/Math proficiency rates are not a comparable metric for these populations, so a demographically-adjusted residual against general-enrollment peers would be misleading. About the methodology →

7-year change

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Enrollment
176
+19 (+12%) vs 2017
Student : Teacher
8.7:1
was 13.3:1
% White
70%
was 66%
% Hispanic
15%
was 17%
% Black
1%
was 3%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data

About Options High School

Options High School, a tiny secondary school in Bellingham, Washington, one of the schools within Bellingham School District, caters to 176 students, covering grades 9 through 12. Enrollment runs roughly 69% smaller than the state mean of about 573.

Bellingham School District comprises 25 schools with combined enrollment of 11,337 students; Options High School is among them.

Demographically, Options High School reports that 70% of the student body identifies as White. Beyond that, the school lists 15% Hispanic, 3% multiracial, 2% Native American.

In terms of school funding signals, On paper, Options High School has 20 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 8.7:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 21.6:1 average. Roughly 54% of students at Options High School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy.

Across the wider county, ACS estimates for Whatcom County put median household income runs about $81,784, roughly 39% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Options High School is one of 78 public schools in Whatcom County (combined enrollment of about 27,779 students).

Nearest neighbor: Bellingham High School, around 0.1 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Options High School.

The campus sits in an urban setting.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count increased 12%: 157 students in 2018 compared to 176 in 2025. The White share of enrollment climbed from 66% to 70% over that span. Class-load math has narrowed: from 13.3:1 in 2018 to 8.7:1 in 2025.

On this page, the feed for Options High School typically covers classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Members of the school community can share what they know.

Whatcom County at a glance

View full county profile
Population
230,503
Census ACS
Median income
$81,784
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
39%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
7%
Below federal line
Schools in county
78
27,779 students

Quick facts

School name
Options High School
District
Bellingham School District
Address
2015 Franklin St, Bellingham, WA 98225
Phone
(360) 647-6871
County
Whatcom County
Level
High
Grade range
09–12
Total enrollment
176
Teachers (FTE)
20
Student–teacher ratio
8.7:1
Free/Reduced lunch
95 (54%)
Locale
13-City: Small
NCES ID
530042001738
Charter school
No
Virtual school
No

Related schools

Other schools in Bellingham School District
Other schools in Bellingham
Nearby schools

Frequently asked questions

About Options High School
How many students attend Options High School?
Options High School enrolls approximately 176 students in grades 09-12.
What grades does Options High School serve?
Options High School serves grades 09-12.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Options High School?
The student-to-teacher ratio at Options High School is approximately 8.7:1 (20 FTE teachers).
What is the racial breakdown of students at Options High School?
At Options High School, the student body is approximately 70% White, 15% Hispanic, 1% Black, 1% Asian, 3% Two or more.
Who oversees Options High School?
Options High School is overseen by Bellingham School District in Whatcom County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.
＋ Post