Swiftwater Alternative High School

Swiftwater Alternative High School is a high school of tiny scale in Cle Elum, Washington, overseen by Cle Elum-Roslyn School District, hosting 20 students in grades 9 through 12. Compared to the state average of about 573 students per school, that is 97% leaner than typical.

Within Cle Elum-Roslyn School District, which oversees 4 schools and 1,026 students, Swiftwater Alternative High School is one campus in the system.

Demographically, Swiftwater Alternative High School lists that 70% of the student body identifies as White. The remainder consists of 15% Hispanic, 15% multiracial. The wider county runs roughly 82% White, putting the school's mix noticeably less White than the area baseline.

In terms of school funding signals, On paper, Swiftwater Alternative High School has 1 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 20.0:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 21.6:1 average. Around 65% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. Set against Kittitas County (around 46%), the school's rate is meaningfully above typical.

In the surrounding community, Kittitas County reports that median household income runs about $73,804, roughly 37% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Swiftwater Alternative High School is one of 21 public schools in Kittitas County (combined enrollment of about 5,387 students).

Cle Elum Roslyn High School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.2 miles from this campus. 3 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

The campus sits in a small-town setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count decreased 17%: 24 students in 2018 compared to 20 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 79% to 70% across the same window. Class-load math has tightened: from 24.0:1 in 2018 to 20.0:1 in 2025.

On this page, recent activity here tends to focus on classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Members of the school community can share what they know.