Best Public Schools in Cathlamet, WA

The city of Cathlamet, Washington is home to two schools: Julius A Wendt Elementary/John C Thomas Middle School and Wahkiakum High School, both part of the Wahkiakum School District. While the schools share some similarities, they also exhibit distinct differences in their student populations, academic performance, and resource allocation.

Julius A Wendt Elementary/John C Thomas Middle School serves a diverse student body of 271 students in grades K-8, with a significant population of economically disadvantaged students as indicated by the high free/reduced lunch rate of 64.94%. The school's academic performance on state assessments is generally below the district and state averages, with some exceptions, such as higher science proficiency rates in 5th and 8th grade. In contrast, Wahkiakum High School, with a smaller student population of 160, excels in 10th grade English Language Arts proficiency but struggles in 10th grade Math proficiency compared to the district and state.

Both schools have higher-than-average spending per student, at $17,839 for Julius A Wendt Elementary/John C Thomas Middle School and $17,722 for Wahkiakum High School, suggesting a focus on providing additional resources and support. However, the academic performance data suggests that these resources may not be fully translating into improved student outcomes, particularly at the elementary/middle school level. The data also highlights areas where the schools could focus their efforts to drive better academic outcomes, such as improving math proficiency at the high school level and addressing the performance gaps across grade levels and subject areas at the elementary/middle school.