Top Rankings
Bellingham School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Washington for:
Category
Attribute
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 20%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025-26 school year, there are 20 public elementary schools serving 7,575 students in Bellingham School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 8/10, which is in the top 30% of public elementary schools in Washington.
Public Elementary Schools in Bellingham School District have an average math proficiency score of 46% (versus the Washington public elementary school average of 43%), and reading proficiency score of 52% (versus the 51% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 36% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Washington public elementary school average of 52% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (WA)
# Schools
25 Schools
1,833 Schools
# Students
11,487 Students
740,174 Students
# Teachers
665 Teachers
44,879 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
17:1
17:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Bellingham School District, which is ranked within the top 30% of all 306 school districts in Washington (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 79% has decreased from 85% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#68 out of 307 school districts
(Top 30%)
(Top 30%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
45%
41%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
57%
53%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
57%
49%
Graduation Rate
79%
84%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.55
0.69
% American Indian
1%
1%
% Asian
5%
9%
% Hispanic
19%
26%
% Black
2%
5%
% White
64%
48%
% Hawaiian
n/a
2%
% Two or more races
9%
9%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $18,822 is higher than the state median of $18,796. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $22,233 is higher than the state median of $19,247. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$216 MM
$20,715 MM
Spending
$255 MM
$21,212 MM
Revenue / Student
$18,822
$18,796
Spending / Student
$22,233
$19,247
Best Bellingham School District Public Elementary Schools (2025-26)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Silver Beach Elementary School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 73%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
4101 Academy St
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 676-6443
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 676-6443
Gr: PK-5 | 342 students Student-teacher ratio: 20:1 Minority enrollment: 23%
Rank: #22.
Kulshan Middle School
(Math: 57% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
1250 Kenoyer Dr
Bellingham, WA 98229
(360) 676-4886
Bellingham, WA 98229
(360) 676-4886
Gr: 6-8 | 599 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 25%
Rank: #33.
Lowell Elementary School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
914 15th St
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6430
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6430
Gr: PK-5 | 308 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 28%
Rank: #44.
Parkview Elementary School
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
3030 Cornwall Ave
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6433
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6433
Gr: PK-5 | 387 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 29%
Rank: #55.
Fairhaven Middle School
(Math: 52% | Reading: 60%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
110 Park Ridge Rd
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6450
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6450
Gr: 6-8 | 581 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 35%
Rank: #6 - 76. - 7.
Columbia Elementary School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
2508 Utter St
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6413
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6413
Gr: PK-5 | 210 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 21%
Rank: #6 - 76. - 7.
Wade King Elementary School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
2155 Yew Street Rd
Bellingham, WA 98229
(360) 676-6840
Bellingham, WA 98229
(360) 676-6840
Gr: PK-5 | 315 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 23%
Rank: #88.
Northern Heights Elementary School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
4000 Magrath Rd
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 647-6820
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 647-6820
Gr: PK-5 | 420 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 40%
Rank: #99.
Whatcom Middle School
(Math: 51% | Reading: 54%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
810 Halleck St
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6460
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6460
Gr: 6-8 | 639 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 41%
Rank: #1010.
Bellingham Family Partnership Program
Alternative School
(Math: ≥50% | Reading: ≥50% )
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
1409 18th St
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6424
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6424
Gr: K-12 | 254 students Student-teacher ratio: 21:1 Minority enrollment: 20%
Rank: #1111.
Geneva Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 52%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
1401 Geneva St
Bellingham, WA 98229
(360) 676-6416
Bellingham, WA 98229
(360) 676-6416
Gr: PK-5 | 424 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 25%
Rank: #1212.
Happy Valley Elementary School
(Math: 47% | Reading: 51%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
1041 24th St
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6420
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6420
Gr: PK-5 | 468 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 32%
Rank: #1313.
Sunnyland Elementary School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
2800 James St
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6446
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6446
Gr: PK-5 | 328 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 36%
Rank: #1414.
Carl Cozier Elementary School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
1330 Lincoln St
Bellingham, WA 98229
(360) 676-6410
Bellingham, WA 98229
(360) 676-6410
Gr: PK-5 | 342 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 40%
Rank: #1515.
Roosevelt Elementary School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
2900 Yew St
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 676-6440
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 676-6440
Gr: PK-5 | 373 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 40%
Rank: #1616.
Visions (Seamar Youth Center)
Alternative School
(Math: <50% | Reading: ≥50% )
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
1603 E Illinois St
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 647-6871
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 647-6871
Gr: 6-12 | 10 students Minority enrollment: 60%
Rank: #1717.
Shuksan Middle School
(Math: 28% | Reading: 41%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
2717 Alderwood Ave
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6454
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6454
Gr: 6-8 | 578 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 48%
Rank: #1818.
Alderwood Elementary School
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
3400 Hollywood Ave
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6404
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6404
Gr: PK-5 | 282 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 46%
Rank: #1919.
Birchwood Elementary School
(Math: 25-29% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
3200 Pinewood Ave
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6466
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6466
Gr: PK-5 | 362 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 58%
Rank: #2020.
Cordata Elementary School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 10-14%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
4420 Aldrich Rd
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 676-6461
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 676-6461
Gr: PK-5 | 353 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 69%
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