6.0 avg / 10

Best Schools in Kelso, Washington

12 schools · 6 Elementary · 2 Middle · 3 High · 1 Other

Last updated: July 2026

Public: 11

Private: 1

Districts: 1

Avg Rating: 6.0/10

Estimated Scores: 10%

Move-ready shortlistcity map + schools

Choosing a school in Kelso?

Use this page to compare every school in Kelso by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.

Explore the map How we rate schools

Shortlist starter

Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.

Elementary · Kelso School District. Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

The short answer

The top-rated schools in Kelso for 2026 are Lexington Elementary (9.0/10), Butler Acres Elementary (7.0/10), and Barnes Elementary (6.5/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 9 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.

Best value · beats the odds

Lexington Elementary

Rates 9.0/10 despite 71% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.9 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Kelso schools.

Most improved · 2022 → 2024

Wallace Elementary

STAAR proficiency rose +11.3 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Kelso schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.

Top-Rated Schools in Kelso

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (9 of 12). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#	School	Rating	Level	Value	State %ile
1	Lexington Elementary	9.0 / 10	Elementary	+2.9	95th
2	Butler Acres Elementary	7.0 / 10	Elementary	+1.0	65th
3	Barnes Elementary	6.5 / 10	Elementary	+0.2	54th
4	Rose Valley Elementary	6.2 / 10	Elementary	+0.7	48th
5	Journey Christian School	6.0 / 10	Elementary	—	39th
6	Huntington Middle School	5.8 / 10	Middle	-0.3	39th
7	Wallace Elementary	5.6 / 10	Elementary	-0.9	35th
8	Coweeman Middle School	4.6 / 10	Middle	-1.3	16th
9	Kelso High School	3.6 / 10	High	-2.2	5th

See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.

Family Snapshot

At a glance

Avg school rating: 6.0/10
Median household income: $70,058
Median home value: $339,800
Bachelor's degree or higher: 15%
Avg commute: 23 min
Owner-occupied homes: 68%

How Kelso compares

Washington rank

#96 of 193

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

-0.3

below Washington avg (6.4)

Median household income

$70k

79% of Washington median

Schools in this city

10

About Schools in Kelso, Washington

Kelso, Washington offers parents 9 ranked public schools spanning elementary through middle grades, with an average score of 6.7 out of 10. That average lands in solid mid-range territory, but the spread within the city tells a more useful story: 4 of those 9 schools — 44% — score 7 or above, meaning nearly half the options clear a meaningful performance threshold.

Elementary schools carry the city's strongest performance. Lexington Elementary leads all of Kelso with an 8.8 out of 10, placing it among the top-performing public schools in the region. Rose Valley Elementary follows at 8.4, and Butler Acres Elementary at 8.0. Wallace Elementary rounds out the upper tier at 7.9. Parents with elementary-age children have real options here — four schools in the 7.9–8.8 range give families meaningful choice at the grade level that matters most for foundational learning.

The picture shifts at the middle school level. Coweeman Middle School scores 6.4, which sits below the city average and represents a transition worth planning for. Parents whose children perform well at one of Kelso's top elementary schools should look closely at Coweeman's academics, program offerings, and support structures before that transition. Understanding what changes at 6th grade — and what stays consistent — helps families prepare rather than react.

Practically speaking, Kelso is a small district where school selection is largely determined by attendance boundaries, so the first step for any parent is confirming which schools serve their specific address. From there, the performance data is a starting point, not a full picture — visit the schools, ask about enrichment programs, and look at trends in test scores over multiple years, not just a single snapshot. Kelso's elementary tier is a genuine strength, and families who land in Lexington, Rose Valley, or Butler Acres attendance zones are well-positioned from the start. The city's 6.7 average is honest: not the highest-performing district in Washington, but one where strong choices exist if you know where to look.

Filter by Level: All Levels (12) Elementary (6) Middle (2) High (3)

Filter by Type: All Types (12) Public (11) Private (1)

Filter by Rating: All Ratings (12) Academics (9) Growth (8) Diversity (8) Resources (9)

Filter by ZIP: 98626 (12)

Elementary Schools

6 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Lexington Elementary 803 students · Kindergarten–5th	803	Kindergarten–5th	9.0
2	Butler Acres Elementary 403 students · Kindergarten–5th	403	Kindergarten–5th	7.0
3	Barnes Elementary 322 students · Kindergarten–5th	322	Kindergarten–5th	6.5
4	Rose Valley Elementary 167 students · Kindergarten–5th	167	Kindergarten–5th	6.2
5	Wallace Elementary 386 students · Pre-K–5th	386	Pre-K–5th	5.6
Private Schools 1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	Journey Christian School Private 54 students · Pre-K–8th	54	Pre-K–8th	6.0

Middle Schools

2 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Huntington Middle School 567 students · 6th–8th	567	6th–8th	5.8
2	Coweeman Middle School 510 students · 6th–8th	510	6th–8th	4.6

High Schools

3 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Kelso Goal Oriented Learning Design 36 students · 9th–12th	36	9th–12th	6.2
2	Kelso High School 1,379 students · 9th–12th	1,379	9th–12th	3.6
3	Loowit High School 8 students · 6th–12th	8	6th–12th	—

Other Schools

1 school

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Special Education 28 students · Pre-K–12th	28	Pre-K–12th	—

Schools in Kelso

Kelso, Washington · 12 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code

Median Income

$70,058

Median Home Value

$339,800

Median Rent

$1,169/mo

Population

26,948

College Educated

15%

Homeownership

68%

Avg Commute

23 min

Poverty Rate

12.6%

Community Profile

Kelso has a median household income of $70,058. It is a community where 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $339,800, with a median rent of $1,169/month. The area has a poverty rate of 12.6%. The average commute for residents is 23 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Schools by Level

State: Washington
Elementary: 6
Middle: 2
High: 3
Other: 1

Resources

🔍 Google "Kelso schools" 🏫 GreatSchools Kelso 📊 Niche Kelso Rankings 📍 Google Maps: Schools

School District

Kelso School District

13 schools · 4,949 students

Nearby Cities

Longview (23 schools)

2 mi

Carrolls (1 school)

6 mi

Castle Rock (4 schools)

La Center (4 schools)

23 mi

Ridgefield (8 schools)

Cathlamet (2 schools)

23 mi

Chehalis (7 schools)

34 mi

Other Major Cities in Washington

Top metros statewide by school count.

Seattle 200 schools Spokane 122 schools Tacoma 113 schools Vancouver 100 schools Bellevue 62 schools

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in Kelso, Washington

How many schools are in Kelso, Washington?

Kelso has 12 schools, including 11 public and 1 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Kelso, Washington?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Kelso is 6.0 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.

What is the top-ranked school in Kelso, Washington?

The top-ranked school in Kelso on MySchoolScout is Lexington Elementary with a composite score of 9.0/10.

What is the best elementary school in Kelso, Washington?

The top-ranked elementary school in Kelso on MySchoolScout is Lexington Elementary with a composite score of 9.0/10.

What is the best middle school in Kelso, Washington?

The top-ranked middle school in Kelso on MySchoolScout is Huntington Middle School with a composite score of 5.8/10.

What is the best high school in Kelso, Washington?

The top-ranked high school in Kelso on MySchoolScout is Kelso High School with a composite score of 3.6/10.

How many school districts serve Kelso, Washington?

Kelso is served by 1 school district: Kelso School District.

What is the education level in Kelso, Washington?

According to Census data, 15% of adults in Kelso have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Kelso, Washington?

The median household income in Kelso is approximately $70,058 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in Kelso, Washington?

Yes, Kelso has 1 private school alongside 11 public schools. The top-rated private school is Journey Christian School with a score of 6.0/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Kelso, Washington?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Kelso is 15.6:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Kelso, Washington?

MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.