Bellingham School District

1306 Dupont St
Bellingham, WA 98225-3118
(District boundaries shown in map)
7/
10
Top 50%

Top Rankings

Bellingham School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Washington for:

Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2024 school year, there are 20 public elementary schools serving 7,587 students in Bellingham School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 1/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in Washington.
Public Elementary Schools in Bellingham School District have an average math proficiency score of 22% (versus the Washington public elementary school average of 50%), and reading proficiency score of 37% (versus the 59% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 34% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Washington public elementary school average of 51% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

2021-2022 School Year Data
This School District
This State (WA)
# Schools
25 Schools
1,848 Schools
# Students
11,439 Students
728,286 Students
# Teachers
685 Teachers
45,625 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
17:1
17:1

District Rank

Bellingham School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 300 school districts in Washington (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2018-2019 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 78% has decreased from 82% over five school years.
Definition of Terms 2021-2022 School Year Data
This School District
State Average (WA)
#108 out of 306 school districts
(Top 50%)
This chart display the overall district rank of Bellingham   School District, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
(18-19)
47%
50%
This chart display the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of Bellingham   School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of WA by year, with the latest 2018-19 school year data.
(18-19)
63%
61%
This chart display the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Bellingham   School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of WA by year, with the latest 2018-19 school year data.
(18-19)
87%
84%
This chart display public school graduation rate of Bellingham   School District and public school graduation rate of WA by year, with the latest 2018-19 school year data.

Students by Ethnicity:

0.53
0.68
# American Indian Students
100 Students
9,755 Students
% American Indian Students
1%
1%
# Asian Students
570 Students
62,173 Students
% Asian Students
5%
9%
# Hispanic Students
1,982 Students
183,931 Students
% Hispanic Students
17%
25%
# Black Students
166 Students
33,932 Students
% Black Students
2%
5%
# White Students
7,502 Students
360,206 Students
% White Students
66%
50%
# Hawaiian Students
33 Students
9,770 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
1%
# Two or more races Students
1,011 Students
67,249 Students
% of Two or more races Students
9%
9%

Students by Grade:

# Students in PK Grade:
119
11,783
# Students in K Grade:
776
76,043
# Students in 1st Grade:
812
74,612
# Students in 2nd Grade:
787
78,521
# Students in 3rd Grade:
856
79,256
# Students in 4th Grade:
833
78,860
# Students in 5th Grade:
819
79,997
# Students in 6th Grade:
847
80,030
# Students in 7th Grade:
856
73,535
# Students in 8th Grade:
870
73,807
# Students in 9th Grade:
895
5,309
# Students in 10th Grade:
961
4,938
# Students in 11th Grade:
987
5,057
# Students in 12th Grade:
1,021
6,538
# Ungraded Students:
-
-

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $18,901 in this school district is less than the state median of $19,148. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $22,326 is higher than the state median of $19,607. The school district spending/student has grown by 24% over four school years.
This School District
This State (WA)
Total Revenue
$216 MM
$20,715 MM
This chart display total revenue of Bellingham   School District and median value from total revenues of all school districts in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending
$255 MM
$21,212 MM
This chart display total spending of Bellingham   School District and median value from total spendings of all school districts in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Revenue / Student
$18,901
$19,148
This chart display average revenue per public school student in Bellingham   School District and average revenue per public school student of all school districts in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending / Student
$22,326
$19,607
This chart display average spending per public school student in Bellingham   School District and average spending per public school student of all school districts in WA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Best Bellingham School District Public Elementary Schools (2024)

School (Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #1 - 21. - 2.
Columbia Elementary School
Math: 65-69% | Reading: 75-79%
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
2508 Utter St
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6413
Grades: PK-5
| 251 students
Rank: #1 - 21. - 2.
Lowell Elementary School
Math: 65-69% | Reading: 75-79%
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
935 14th St
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6430
Grades: PK-5
| 275 students
Rank: #33.
Fairhaven Middle School
Math: 57% | Reading: 75%
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
110 Park Ridge Rd
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6450
Grades: 6-8
| 618 students
Rank: #44.
Whatcom Middle School
Math: 58% | Reading: 73%
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
810 Halleck St
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6460
Grades: 6-8
| 662 students
Rank: #55.
Silver Beach Elementary School
Math: 58% | Reading: 68%
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
4101 Academy St
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 676-6443
Grades: PK-5
| 398 students
Rank: #66.
Happy Valley Elementary School
Math: 53% | Reading: 61%
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
1041 24th St
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6420
Grades: PK-5
| 446 students
Rank: #77.
Wade King Elementary School
Math: 50% | Reading: 62%
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
2155 Yew Street Rd
Bellingham, WA 98229
(360) 676-6840
Grades: PK-5
| 342 students
Rank: #88.
Sunnyland Elementary School
Math: 50-54% | Reading: 55-59%
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
2800 James St
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6446
Grades: PK-5
| 273 students
Rank: #99.
Parkview Elementary School
Math: 45-49% | Reading: 60-64%
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
3030 Cornwall Ave
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6433
Grades: PK-5
| 350 students
Rank: #1010.
Kulshan Middle School
Math: 46% | Reading: 61%
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
1250 Kenoyer Dr
Bellingham, WA 98229
(360) 676-4886
Grades: 6-8
| 645 students
Rank: #1111.
Geneva Elementary School
Math: 46% | Reading: 60%
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
1401 Geneva St
Bellingham, WA 98229
(360) 676-6416
Grades: PK-5
| 433 students
Rank: #1212.
Visions (Seamar Youth Center)
Alternative School
Math: <50% | Reading: ≥50%
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
1603 E Illinois St
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 647-6871
Grades: 6-12
| 13 students
Rank: #1313.
Bellingham Family Partnership Program
Alternative School
Math: ≥50% | Reading: ≥50%
(2016-2017 School Year Data)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
1409 18th St
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6424
Grades: K-12
| 418 students
Rank: #1414.
Roosevelt Elementary School
Math: 40-44% | Reading: 50-54%
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
2900 Yew St
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 676-6440
Grades: PK-5
| 341 students
Rank: #1515.
Carl Cozier Elementary School
Math: 35-39% | Reading: 50-54%
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
1330 Lincoln St
Bellingham, WA 98229
(360) 676-6410
Grades: PK-5
| 292 students
Rank: #1616.
Northern Heights Elementary School
Math: 41% | Reading: 48%
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
4000 Magrath Rd
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 647-6820
Grades: PK-5
| 362 students
Rank: #1717.
Shuksan Middle School
Math: 34% | Reading: 44%
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
2717 Alderwood Ave
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6454
Grades: 6-8
| 537 students
Rank: #1818.
Birchwood Elementary School
Math: 25-29% | Reading: 35-39%
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
3200 Pinewood Ave
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6446
Grades: PK-5
| 323 students
Rank: #1919.
Cordata Elementary School
Math: 25-29% | Reading: 30-34%
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
4420 Aldrich Rd
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 676-6461
Grades: PK-5
| 348 students
Rank: #2020.
Alderwood Elementary School
Math: 20-24% | Reading: 35-39%
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
3400 Hollywood Ave
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6404
Grades: PK-5
| 260 students

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Quick Stats (2024)

  • District size: 25 schools
  • Grades: 01-12
  • Enrollment: 11,439 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 17:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 34%
  • : 87% (Btm 50% in WA)
  • : Top 50%
  • : 47% (Top 50%)
  • : 63% (Top 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), WA Dept. of Education

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