Washington was named the best state by U.S. News in 2019 thanks to its strong economy, well-managed infrastructure, and excellent health care options. Unsurprisingly, the state excels in public education, as well, and is home to some remarkably high-performing school districts. Let’s look at the five best school districts in the Evergreen State. 

Snoqualmie Valley School District is the best school system in Washington. Consisting of six elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school, and one alternative school, SVSD is one of the most renowned school districts in the U.S., being one of just six in the nation to be awarded the AP Honor Roll distinction for six years in a row. 

Placing 2nd in the rankings is Mercer Island School District, comprising six schools with an enrollment of around 4,500 in the Lake Washington island community. The well-funded district boasts a graduation rate topping 95%.

Camas School District earns the 3rd spot in our rankings. Made up of six elementary schools, three middle schools, and three high schools, CSD schools have laid claim to a long list of accolades and achievements, including over 30 Washington Achievement Awards in the past decade, alone. 

Washington’s 4th best school district is Bainbridge Island School District, comprising seven campuses in the lush Puget Sound community of Bainbridge Island. BISD’s schools are some of the best in the region, with three of them earning the State Recognized Schools honor in 2019 thanks to high rates of proficiency in math and English language arts. 

Completing the list of Washington’s best school systems is University Place School District, which operates eight schools in the City of University Place. UPSD’s graduation rate is well above the state average. 

Top School Districts in Washington, 2020

Methodology

The following variables contributed to the ranking: number of students (K-12), graduation rate, school funding per student, student to teacher ratio, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Math test, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Reading and Language test. Data from a total of 10,247 public school districts were used to compute a score for each school district. The following states were omitted due to lack of sufficient data: Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Utah, and Virginia. Note that high schools in some states have their own independent districts.