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 school year, there are 20 public elementary schools serving 7,575 students in Bellingham School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 7/10, which is in the top 50% of public elementary schools in Washington.
Public Elementary Schools in Bellingham School District have an average math proficiency score of 42% (versus the Washington public elementary school average of 41%), 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
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 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 80% has decreased from 82% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#68 out of 307 school districts
(Top 30%)
(Top 30%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
43%
40%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
57%
53%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
57%
49%
Graduation Rate
80%
84%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.55
0.69
# American Indian Students
101 Students
9,834 Students
% American Indian Students
1%
1%
# Asian Students
542 Students
66,765 Students
% Asian Students
5%
9%
# Hispanic Students
2,226 Students
187,960 Students
% Hispanic Students
19%
26%
# Black Students
181 Students
34,994 Students
% Black Students
2%
5%
# White Students
7,316 Students
353,967 Students
% White Students
64%
48%
# Hawaiian Students
34 Students
11,000 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
2%
# Two or more races Students
989 Students
67,620 Students
% of Two or more races Students
9%
9%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
109
15,322
# Students in K Grade:
946
74,525
# Students in 1st Grade:
769
77,872
# Students in 2nd Grade:
826
81,806
# Students in 3rd Grade:
810
78,256
# Students in 4th Grade:
782
81,082
# Students in 5th Grade:
841
81,722
# Students in 6th Grade:
829
80,515
# Students in 7th Grade:
811
73,171
# Students in 8th Grade:
845
72,324
# Students in 9th Grade:
920
5,537
# Students in 10th Grade:
982
5,680
# Students in 11th Grade:
882
5,765
# Students in 12th Grade:
1,135
6,597
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
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 $19,246. 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
$19,246
Best Bellingham School District Public Elementary Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Silver Beach Elementary School
(Math: 68% | Reading: 73%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
4101 Academy St
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 676-6443
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 676-6443
Grades: PK-5
| 342 students
Rank: #22.
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
Grades: PK-5
| 308 students
Rank: #33.
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
Grades: PK-5
| 387 students
Rank: #44.
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
Grades: PK-5
| 210 students
Rank: #55.
Kulshan Middle School
(Math: 47% | Reading: 62%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
1250 Kenoyer Dr
Bellingham, WA 98229
(360) 676-4886
Bellingham, WA 98229
(360) 676-4886
Grades: 6-8
| 599 students
Rank: #66.
Fairhaven Middle School
(Math: 46% | Reading: 60%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
110 Park Ridge Rd
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6450
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6450
Grades: 6-8
| 581 students
Rank: #77.
Wade King Elementary School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 55-59%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
2155 Yew Street Rd
Bellingham, WA 98229
(360) 676-6840
Bellingham, WA 98229
(360) 676-6840
Grades: PK-5
| 315 students
Rank: #88.
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
Grades: K-12
| 254 students
Rank: #99.
Northern Heights Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
4000 Magrath Rd
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 647-6820
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 647-6820
Grades: PK-5
| 420 students
Rank: #1010.
Whatcom Middle School
(Math: 43% | Reading: 54%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
810 Halleck St
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6460
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6460
Grades: 6-8
| 639 students
Rank: #1111.
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
Grades: PK-5
| 328 students
Rank: #1212.
Happy Valley Elementary School
(Math: 46% | Reading: 51%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
1041 24th St
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6420
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6420
Grades: PK-5
| 468 students
Rank: #1313.
Carl Cozier Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
1330 Lincoln St
Bellingham, WA 98229
(360) 676-6410
Bellingham, WA 98229
(360) 676-6410
Grades: PK-5
| 342 students
Rank: #1414.
Geneva Elementary School
(Math: 38% | Reading: 52%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
1401 Geneva St
Bellingham, WA 98229
(360) 676-6416
Bellingham, WA 98229
(360) 676-6416
Grades: PK-5
| 424 students
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
Grades: PK-5
| 373 students
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
Grades: 6-12
| 10 students
Rank: #1717.
Shuksan Middle School
(Math: 25% | Reading: 41%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
2717 Alderwood Ave
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6454
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6454
Grades: 6-8
| 578 students
Rank: #18 - 1918. - 19.
Alderwood Elementary School
(Math: 25-29% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
3400 Hollywood Ave
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6404
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 676-6404
Grades: PK-5
| 282 students
Rank: #18 - 1918. - 19.
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
Grades: PK-5
| 362 students
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
Grades: PK-5
| 353 students
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