Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

Summary:

Rainier Valley Leadership Academy is a public charter high school in Seattle, Washington, serving 145 students in grades 6-12, with a diverse student population that is predominantly African American and Hispanic.

The school faces significant challenges in improving student academic performance, with proficiency rates well below the state average in English Language Arts, Math, and Science. While the school has a relatively high four-year graduation rate of 90%, it also has a high dropout rate of 10%, which is significantly higher than the state average. The school serves a high-needs student population, with 77.93% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, and its low-socioeconomic status student group ranks 298 out of 392 Washington high schools. Despite the school's high per-student spending of $32,801, its academic performance remains significantly below the state average, suggesting that the school may need to re-evaluate its instructional strategies and resource allocation to better support student success.

Compared to nearby high-performing schools like Mercer Island High School and Raisbeck Aviation High School, Rainier Valley Leadership Academy's academic performance is significantly lower. However, the school's performance is more comparable to nearby schools serving high-needs populations, such as Interagency Programs and Alan T. Sugiyama High School, which also have low proficiency rates and high dropout rates. The school's African American student group performs better than the overall student population, but its female students and low-socioeconomic status students perform significantly worse.

Detail:

Public, Charter 6-12

6020 Rainier Avenue S
Seattle, WA 98118

(206) 659-0956

District: Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

Per Pupil Expenditures: $32,801

Student/teacher ratio: 11.2

Number of students: 145

Racial breakdown:

African American:

63.4%

Hispanic:

15.2%

Two or more races:

9.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 77.9%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Rainier Valley Leadership Academy ranks worse than 91.4% of middle schools in Washington. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 12.41. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Rainier Valley Leadership Academy who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (63.4%), Hispanic (15.2%), two or more races (9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 77.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Rainier Valley Leadership Academy is 11.2. (See more...)

Compare Rainier Valley Leadership Academy employs 12.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Rainier Valley Leadership Academy is $32,801.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Rainier Valley Leadership Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Rainier Valley Leadership Academy 489^th of 535 Washington public middle schools. (See Rainier Valley Leadership Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Male students:

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Rank History for Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

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Rank History for all students at Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2019	20.26	428^th	512	16.4%
2021	15.52	470^th	529	11.2%
2022	16.09	473^rd	541	12.6%
2023	22.95	426^th	539	21.0%
2024	12.41	489^th	535	8.6%

See the entire list of Washington High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2019	34.07	314^th	448	29.9%
2021	34.83	309^th	458	32.5%
2022	28.50	368^th	475	22.5%
2023	40.63	264^th	463	43.0%

See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2019	19.93	380^th	452	15.9%
2021	16.43	408^th	469	13.0%
2022	20.33	393^rd	479	18.0%
2023	37.51	278^th	464	40.1%

See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2019	19.31	387^th	453	14.6%
2021	8.94	457^th	476	4.0%
2022	10.27	454^th	480	5.4%
2024	26.68	341^st	466	26.8%

See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2019	52.14	40^th	111	64.0%
2021	38.69	64^th	106	39.6%
2022	32.19	67^th	104	35.6%

See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

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Rank History for all students at Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	29.03	298^th	392	24.0%

See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	34.75	256^th	390	34.4%

See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for African American students at Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	46.74	56^th	111	49.5%

See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2018	12	76	3	7	1	0	3	0	102
2019	16	191	7	24	1	0	12	0	251
2020	6	244	5	36	1	3	25	0	320
2021	4	113	3	23	0	0	15	0	158
2022	4	113	8	18	2	0	15	0	160
2023	5	92	11	22	0	0	13	2	145

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	102	8.0	12.7	70.6
2019	251	19.0	13.2	74.5
2020	320	22.0	14.5	75.3
2021	158	14.0	11.2	82.3
2022	160	14.8	10.8	75
2023	145	12.8	11.2	77.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	102	8.0	12.7	70.6
2019	251	19.0	13.2	74.5
2020	320	22.0	14.5	75.3
2021	158	14.0	11.2	82.3
2022	160	14.8	10.8	75
2023	145	12.8	11.2	77.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

6th Grade Immunization Rates

Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

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Year	Completely Immunized	Religious Exemption	Medical Exemption	Conditional	Personal Exemption	Polio	Diphtheria	Hepatitis B	Varicella	MMR	Pertussis
2019	71.3%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	95.7%	73.4%	95.7%	97.9%	97.9%	73.4%

Data source: Washington State Department of Health

Immunization Rates (Entire school)

Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

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Year	Completely Immunized	Religious Exemption	Medical Exemption	Personal Exemption	Polio	Diphtheria	Hepatitis B	Varicella	MMR	Pertussis
2019	76.9%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Data source: Washington State Department of Health

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,018 (5.0%)	$19,278 (95.0%)	$20,296
2020	$3,558 (11.2%)	$28,076 (88.8%)	$31,634
2021	$2,642 (10.2%)	$23,186 (89.8%)	$25,829
2022	$6,222 (19.0%)	$26,579 (81.0%)	$32,800

Data source: Washington Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 428^th of 512 Middle schools	Ranks 426^th of 539 Middle schools	4.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Rainier Valley Leadership Academy)	31.3	25.9	5.3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Rainier Valley Leadership Academy)	31.3	25.9	5.3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Washington)	57.8	47.9	9.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Rainier Valley Leadership Academy)	39.2	28.6	10.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Rainier Valley Leadership Academy)	39.2	28.6	10.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Washington)	62	52.1	9.9%
7th Grade Math (Rainier Valley Leadership Academy)	31	30	1%
7th Grade Math (Rainier Valley Leadership Academy)	31	30	1%
7th Grade Math (Washington)	49.9	37.6	12.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Rainier Valley Leadership Academy)	35.4	29.8	5.6%
All Grades English Language Arts (Rainier Valley Leadership Academy)	35.4	29.8	5.6%
All Grades English Language Arts (Washington)	61	52.9	8.1%
All Grades Math (Rainier Valley Leadership Academy)	38.3	12.1	26.2%
All Grades Math (Rainier Valley Leadership Academy)	38.3	12.1	26.2%
All Grades Math (Washington)	50.1	41	9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	251	145	42.2%
African American	191	92	51.8%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	7	11	57.1%
Hispanic	24	22	8.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	16	5	68.8%
Two or More Races	12	13	8.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	74.5%	77.9%	3.4%

Schools Near Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				WCAS Science (2024)			SBAC English Language Arts (2024)					SBAC Math (2024)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	WCAS Science 8th Grade	WCAS Science 11th Grade	WCAS Science All Grades	SBAC English Language Arts 6th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 7th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 8th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 10th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts All Grades	SBAC Math 7th Grade	SBAC Math 10th Grade	SBAC Math All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Rainier Valley Leadership Academy	Public, Charter	6-12	6020 Rainier Avenue S	Seattle	98118	King County	Rainier Valley Leadership Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(206) 659-0956	145	13	11.2	77.9%	5 (3.4%)	92 (63.4%)	22 (15.2%)	11 (7.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (9.0%)								(n/a)	15.0		16.1	20.0	21.7	42.1	45.5	30.1	18.2		9.5	$32,801	$6,222	$26,579
Interagency Open Doors	Public	9-12	3528 S. Ferdinand Street	Seattle	98118	King County	Seattle School District No. 1	No	No	No	No	(206) 252-0010	84	0		47.6%	30 (35.7%)	11 (13.1%)	12 (14.3%)	7 (8.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (16.7%)								(n/a)												$15,759	$1,085	$14,674
Alan T. Sugiyama High School	Public	9-12	8601 Rainier Ave S	Seattle	98118	King County	Seattle School District No. 1	No	No	No	Yes	(206) 252-6600	31	5	5.9	67.7%	1 (3.2%)	10 (32.3%)	10 (32.3%)	2 (6.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (9.7%)	5 (16.1%)								(n/a)												$65,782	$6,517	$59,265
Rainier Beach High School	Public	9-12	8815 Seward Park Av S	Seattle	98118	King County	Seattle School District No. 1	No	No	No	Yes	(206) 252-6350	818	46	17.8	80.4%	39 (4.8%)	345 (42.2%)	148 (18.1%)	197 (24.1%)	5 (0.6%)	14 (1.7%)	67 (8.2%)	13.7	401^st of 437 public high schools	8.2%		21.3	354^th of 442 public high schools	19.9%	47		25.7	25.7				42.3	42.3		15.8	15.8	$22,570	$1,734	$20,836
Cleveland High School STEM	Public	9-12	5511 15 Ave S	Seattle	98108	King County	Seattle School District No. 1	No	No	No	No	(206) 252-7800	902	46	19.6	56.9%	113 (12.5%)	189 (21.0%)	96 (10.6%)	415 (46.0%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.3%)	81 (9.0%)	69.2	117^th of 437 public high schools	73.2%		62.3	148^th of 442 public high schools	66.5%	31		44.4	44.4				78.8	78.8		47.5	47.5	$20,312	$1,585	$18,727
Franklin High School	Public	9-12	3013 S Mt Baker Bv	Seattle	98144	King County	Seattle School District No. 1	No	No	No	No	(206) 252-6150	1,222	62	19.6	65.3%	166 (13.6%)	337 (27.6%)	213 (17.4%)	403 (33.0%)	3 (0.2%)	7 (0.6%)	87 (7.1%)	45.8	231^st of 437 public high schools	47.1%		52.1	198^th of 442 public high schools	55.2%	33		43.5	43.5				67.0	67.0		25.5	25.5	$20,137	$1,355	$18,782
Raisbeck Aviation High School	Public	9-12	9229 East Marginal Way S	Tukwila	98108	King County	Highline School District	No	No	No	No	(206) 631-7200	405	20	20.3	30.9%	148 (36.5%)	39 (9.6%)	66 (16.3%)	100 (24.7%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	41 (10.1%)	97.2	8^th of 437 public high schools	98.2%		98.9	3^rd of 442 public high schools	99.3%	5		80.2	80.2				92.2	92.2		74.3	74.3	$17,534	$1,491	$16,043
Mercer Island High School	Public	9-12	9100 SE 42nd	Mercer Island	98040	King County	Mercer Island School District	No	No	No	No	(206) 236-3345	1,524	75	20.4	6.5%	864 (56.7%)	18 (1.2%)	98 (6.4%)	369 (24.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.2%)	162 (10.6%)	98.4	3^rd of 437 public high schools	99.3%		98.2	5^th of 442 public high schools	98.9%	2		88.6	88.6				93.2	93.2		87.0	87.0	$17,878	$1,059	$16,820
Seattle Skills Center	Public, Magnet	9-12	2445 3rd Ave S	Seattle	98124	King County	Seattle School District No. 1	No	Yes	No	No	(206) 252-0733	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)												$21,874	$1,266	$20,609
Interagency Programs	Public	6-12	2445 3rd AVE S	Seattle	98134	King County	Seattle School District No. 1	No	No	No	No	(206) 252-0749	194	35	5.5	73.2%	34 (17.5%)	43 (22.2%)	63 (32.5%)	13 (6.7%)	5 (2.6%)	5 (2.6%)	27 (13.9%)	7.4	425^th of 437 public high schools	2.7%		6.3	430^th of 442 public high schools	2.7%	5		23.8	23.8				34.6	34.6				$42,624	$7,278	$35,345

Frequently Asked Questions about Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

What district is Rainier Valley Leadership Academy in?

Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

How many students attend Rainier Valley Leadership Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 145 students attended Rainier Valley Leadership Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Rainier Valley Leadership Academy?

Students at Rainier Valley Leadership Academy are 63% African American, 15% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 8% Asian, 3% White, 1% Not Specified.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Washington State Department of Health and the Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.