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#1021 of 2,228 schools in WA

Top 46% in state

Sehome High School

High School · Bellingham School District · Bellingham, WA

A Bellingham School District high school where students score 9 points below what's typical for similar communities.

2700 Bill McDonald Pkwy, Bellingham, WA 98225

  • Math 31% vs WA 36% (2024)
  • Reading 68% vs WA 56% (2024)
  • 5/5 advanced STEM subjects

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress5.8Average25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-1.7 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics6.2Average25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency30.9% (2024 SBA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency67.6% (2024 SBA)
Math vs. State Avg-0.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+6.4 pts
Overall Proficiency49% (2024 SBA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)58% (model expectation from 2024 SBA)
vs. Expected-8.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile45th
College Readiness9.7Excellent30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
AP Participation39.5%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment3.0Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio23.5:1
District spending per student$17,886
Chronic Absenteeism32.3%

Students at Sehome High School score 49% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 58%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 SBA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. WA average.

Math Proficiency31%(2024 SBA)
School
State
36%(2024 SBA)
ELA Proficiency68%(2024 SBA)
School
State
56%(2024 SBA)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 28 points since 2018, to 49% in 2024, across a 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 13 years
2009
Math
69%
ELA
86%
2010
Math
82%
ELA
92%
2011
Math
88%
ELA
89%
2012
Math
90%
ELA
91%
2013
Math
93%
ELA
95%
2014
Math
25%
ELA
35%
2015
Math
52%
ELA
90%
2016
Math
55%
ELA
97%
2017
Math
76%
ELA
89%
2018
Math
65%
ELA
89%
2019
Math
65%
ELA
89%
2022
ELA
89%
2024
Math
31%
ELA
68%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 63% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 83% (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

29.2%

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 Sehome 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.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 52Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 37Some Transit
  • Bike 39Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,115/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Bellingham), 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

$62,220

Median home value

$588,800

Median rent

$1,430/mo

College educated

48.3%

Homeownership

41%

Poverty rate

22.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 98225; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs4AP courses offered
39.5% participation·State avg: 2.8 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics28sports offered
15 boys'·13 girls'·28 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
Bellingham Family Partnership ProgramEnrollment path unverified3.2K–120.9 mi254Compare →
Independence High SchoolPrivate · tuitionNot rated2–121.1 mi18Compare →
Explorations AcademyPrivate · tuition7.9private6–121.8 mi40Compare →
Whatcom Co Detention CenterEnrollment path unverifiedNot rated7–121.9 mi5Compare →

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.

Bellingham School District

Schools in district
25
Rank in district
#8 of 24
District spending per student
$17,886NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
7.5%Census SAIPE · 2024

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

About Sehome High School

Sehome High School is a public high school in Bellingham, WA, part of Bellingham School District, serving approximately 1,175 students in grades 9th-12th with a 23.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.5 out of 10 and ranks #1,021 of 2,228 schools in WA. State assessment records show 63% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 83% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Sehome High School

What grades does Sehome High School serve?

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

How many students attend Sehome High School?

Sehome High School has an enrollment of approximately 1,175 students.

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

The student-teacher ratio at Sehome High School is 23.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Sehome High School rank in WA?

Sehome High School ranks #1,021 of 2,228 schools in WA.

What is Sehome High School's MySchoolScout rating?

Sehome High School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.5 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 Sehome High School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Sehome High School has 63% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 83% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Sehome High School a charter school?

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

Is Sehome High School a Title I school?

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

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

29.2% of students at Sehome 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
1,175
Student-Teacher Ratio
23.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
50
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Whatcom County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
32.3%
Area population (ZIP 98225)
50,355
Area average commute
19.5 min
Area median age
32
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 98225; 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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