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Needs Improvement

#2166 of 2,228 schools in WA

Highline High School

High School · Highline School District · Burien, WA

A high school in Burien, WA where students score 8 points below what's typical for similar communities.

225 S 152nd St, Burien, WA 98148

  • Math 11% vs WA 36% (2024)
  • Reading 40% vs WA 56% (2024)
  • 5/5 advanced STEM subjects

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress3.1Needs Improvement25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-2.52 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics3.7Needs Improvement25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency10.8% (2024 SBA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency40.3% (2024 SBA)
Math vs. State Avg-20.7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-20.9 pts
Overall Proficiency26% (2024 SBA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)33% (model expectation from 2024 SBA)
vs. Expected-7.7 pts
Adjusted Percentile18th
College Readiness3.0Needs Improvement30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
AP Participation9.2%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment3.4Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio20.7:1
District spending per student$20,594
Chronic Absenteeism51.3%

Students at Highline High School score 26% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 33%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 SBA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. WA average.

Math Proficiency11%(2024 SBA)
School
State
36%(2024 SBA)
ELA Proficiency40%(2024 SBA)
School
State
56%(2024 SBA)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 18 points since 2018, to 26% in 2024, across a 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 13 years
2009
Math
32%
ELA
78%
2010
Math
54%
ELA
78%
2011
Math
58%
ELA
73%
2012
Math
71%
ELA
79%
2013
Math
68%
ELA
68%
2014
Math
25%
ELA
15%
2015
Math
25%
ELA
76%
2016
Math
15%
ELA
76%
2017
Math
42%
ELA
62%
2018
Math
26%
ELA
60%
2019
Math
26%
ELA
60%
2022
ELA
53%
2024
Math
11%
ELA
40%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 36% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 61% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 29 test records from WA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

69.7%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

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

The neighborhood

Where Highline High School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Seattle map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 86Very Walkable
  • Transit 56Good Transit
  • Bike 56Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,853/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Burien), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$86,994

Median home value

$576,400

Median rent

$1,837/mo

College educated

28.2%

Homeownership

50.3%

Poverty rate

6.8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 98148; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs4AP courses offered
9.2% participation·State avg: 2.8 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics20sports offered
9 boys'·11 girls'·26 teams (incl. JV)·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM Courses5of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Highline Public Schools Virtual AcademyEnrollment path unverified4.8PK–120.5 mi182Compare →
John F Kennedy Catholic High SchoolPrivate · tuition6.6private9–120.8 mi749Compare →
Big Picture SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.26–122.0 mi238Compare →
Choice AcademyEnrollment path unverified7.46–122.0 mi178Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Highline School District

Schools in district
43
Rank in district
#32 of 34
District spending per student
$20,594NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
16.9%Census SAIPE · 2024

Highline High School is listed in Highline School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Highline High School

Highline High School is a public high school in Burien, WA, part of Highline School District, serving approximately 1,408 students in grades 9th-12th with a 20.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.3 out of 10 and ranks #2,166 of 2,228 schools in WA. State assessment records show 36% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 61% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Highline High School

What grades does Highline High School serve?

Highline High School serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Highline High School?

Highline High School has an enrollment of approximately 1,408 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Highline High School?

The student-teacher ratio at Highline High School is 20.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Highline High School rank in WA?

Highline High School ranks #2,166 of 2,228 schools in WA.

What is Highline High School's MySchoolScout rating?

Highline High School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.3 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Highline High School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Highline High School has 36% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 61% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Highline High School a charter school?

No, Highline High School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Highline High School a Title I school?

No, Highline High School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Highline High School?

69.7% of students at Highline High School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
1,408
Student-Teacher Ratio
20.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
68
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
King County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
51.3%
Area population (ZIP 98148)
10,399
Area average commute
26.3 min
Area median age
34.9
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 SBA · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 SBA · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 98148; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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