Goldendale School District

The Goldendale School District in Washington state serves students from elementary through high school, with 4 schools in the district including 1 elementary, 1 middle, 1 high school, and 1 alternative virtual school. The district faces some challenges, with disparities in academic performance between the schools and low proficiency rates in math across the district, particularly at the middle and high school levels.

The standout school in the district is Washington Connections Academy Goldendale, an alternative public magnet virtual school that has the highest enrollment and the highest 4-year graduation rate in the district. The school's test scores are generally higher than the district and state averages, especially in English Language Arts. However, the school also has a relatively high dropout rate of 13.3%. In contrast, Goldendale High School has seen an improvement in its statewide ranking, moving from 307th out of 434 high schools in 2021-2022 to 229th out of 437 in 2023-2024, with a 4-year graduation rate slightly higher than the district average.

The district as a whole faces significant socioeconomic challenges, with high percentages of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 40.09% at Washington Connections Academy to 77.86% at Goldendale Middle School. Additionally, the per-student spending varies widely, with Washington Connections Academy receiving significantly less funding than the other schools in the district. These disparities in funding and resources may contribute to the differences in academic performance observed across the schools.