Pasco School District

The Pasco School District in Washington state consists of 26 schools, including 19 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 3 high schools, serving a diverse student population. The district faces significant challenges, with overall low academic performance and high poverty rates, but a few standout schools are providing quality education despite these obstacles.

Among the top-performing schools in the district are Ruth Livingston Elementary and Edwin Markham Elementary, which rank in the top 4 and 262 out of 1,168 elementary schools in Washington, respectively. These schools boast exceptional test scores, with over 65% of students proficient in English Language Arts and Math, and relatively low free/reduced lunch rates compared to the district average. In contrast, the district's high schools, such as Chiawana Senior High School and Pasco Senior High School, struggle with lower graduation rates and test scores, though Chiawana has the highest performance among the high schools.

The data reveals a significant achievement gap within the Pasco School District, with the highest-performing schools vastly outpacing the lowest-performing ones. This disparity appears to be closely linked to socioeconomic factors, as schools with the highest poverty rates tend to have the weakest academic outcomes. However, the success of the district's magnet and STEM-focused schools, such as Barbara McClintock STEM Elementary and Captain Gray STEM Elementary, suggests that targeted, high-quality educational programs can make a positive impact, even in high-poverty communities.