Squalicum High School

Set in Bellingham, Washington, Squalicum High School is an expansive high school, one of the schools within Bellingham School District. It caters to 1,273 students across grades 9 through 12. By comparison, Washington's public schools average about 573 students each, so Squalicum High School sits 122% larger than that benchmark.

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

Demographically, Squalicum High School shows that the largest single group is White at 53%, but no single group is in the majority. Other groups include 27% Hispanic, 9% Asian, 8% multiracial. By comparison, Whatcom County as a whole is about 78% White, so the school skews considerably less White than its surroundings.

In terms of school funding signals, On paper, Squalicum High School has 60 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 21.1:1. The state averages about 21.6:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. Around 43% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Squalicum High School is in the bottom 10% of Washington public schools. The BeatsExpectations model predicts schools with this FRL share to land around 51.2%; Squalicum High School posts 37.1%, -14.1 points below that line.

In the surrounding community, Whatcom County reports that median household income runs about $81,784, 39% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. Squalicum High School is one of 78 public schools in Whatcom County (combined enrollment of about 27,779 students).

Nearest neighbor: Northern Heights Elementary Schl, around 0.2 miles off. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Among the 7 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Squalicum High School ranks 7th on composite proficiency, below the local average of 53.9%.

The school occupies a downtown site.

Over the past 7-year window. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Squalicum High School has shrank 3%, going from 1,317 students in 2018 to 1,273 in 2025. Hispanic enrollment moved from 20% to 27% across the same window.

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.