Cascade Public Schools

Summary:

Cascade Public Schools is a high school located in Des Moines, Washington, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 146 students. It is part of the Why Not You Academy District, which is ranked 245 out of 247 districts in Washington and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school has a diverse student population, with 50.68% African American, 26.03% Hispanic, and 9.59% White students.

Cascade Public Schools consistently underperforms compared to the state and nearby schools like Big Picture School and CHOICE Academy on standardized tests, with only 22.86% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 8.11% in Math, significantly lower than the state averages. The school also has a very high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 95.21% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to nearby schools ranging from 50% to 82.79%. Cascade Public Schools has consistently ranked in the bottom 20% of high schools in Washington, with a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

The racial makeup of Cascade Public Schools is vastly different from the nearby schools, with a much higher percentage of African American and Hispanic students, raising questions about equity and access to educational opportunities. The school has also seen a significant decline in enrollment, from 146 students in the 2022-2023 school year to 146 students in the 2023-2024 school year, which could lead to reduced funding and resources. While the data paints a concerning picture, the presence of successful nearby schools suggests that there may be opportunities for improvement at Cascade Public Schools through the implementation of best practices from higher-performing schools.

Detail:

Public, Magnet, Charter 9-12

22419 Pacific Highway South
Des Moines, WA 98198

(253) 271-8629

District: Why Not You Academy

SchoolDigger Rank:
418^th of 437 Washington High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $36,410

Student/teacher ratio: 13.1

Number of students: 146

Racial breakdown:

African American:

50.7%

Hispanic:

26.0%

White:

9.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 95.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Cascade Public Schools ranks worse than 95.7% of high schools in Washington. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.32. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (50.7%), Hispanic (26%), White (9.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 95.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cascade Public Schools is 13.1. (See more...)

Compare Cascade Public Schools employs 11.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cascade Public Schools is $36,410.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Cascade Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Cascade Public Schools 418^th of 437 Washington public high schools. (See Cascade Public Schools in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Male students:

African American students:

Why Not You Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Why Not You Academy 245^th of 247 Washington school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Cascade Public Schools

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Rank History for all students at Cascade Public Schools

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	20.50	362^nd	442	18.1%
2024	9.32	418^th	437	4.3%

See the entire list of Washington High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Cascade Public Schools

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	32.38	262^nd	362	27.6%
2024	15.30	331^st	356	7.0%

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

Rank History for Female students at Cascade Public Schools

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	22.47	285^th	357	20.2%

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

Rank History for Male students at Cascade Public Schools

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	3.82	358^th	362	1.1%

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

Rank History for African American students at Cascade Public Schools

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	17.58	61^st	70	12.9%

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

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Enrollment information for Cascade Public Schools

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2022	15	52	8	17	0	3	2	3	100
2023	14	74	6	38	0	5	7	2	146

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 Cascade Public Schools

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2022	100	7.0	14.2	67
2023	146	11.1	13.1	95.2

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 Cascade Public Schools

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2022	100	7.0	14.2	67
2023	146	11.1	13.1	95.2

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.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Cascade Public Schools

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2022	$3,844 (10.6%)	$32,566 (89.4%)	$36,410

Data source: Washington Department of Education

Schools Near Cascade Public Schools

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 6th Grade	SBAC Math 7th Grade	SBAC Math 8th Grade	SBAC Math 10th Grade	SBAC Math All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Cascade Public Schools	Public, Magnet, Charter	9-12	22419 Pacific Highway South	Des Moines	98198	King County	Why Not You Academy	Yes	Yes	No	No	(253) 271-8629	146	11	13.1	95.2%	14 (9.6%)	74 (50.7%)	38 (26.0%)	6 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.4%)	7 (4.8%)	9.3	418^th of 437 public high schools	4.3%		20.5	362^nd of 442 public high schools	18.1%	56		31.7	31.7				22.9	22.9				8.1	8.1	$36,410	$3,844	$32,566
Mount Rainier High School	Public	9-12	22450 19th Ave S	Des Moines	98198	King County	Highline School District	No	No	No	Yes	(206) 631-7000	1,873	77	24.2	62.6%	438 (23.4%)	264 (14.1%)	622 (33.2%)	253 (13.5%)	11 (0.6%)	81 (4.3%)	192 (10.3%)	33.5	299^th of 437 public high schools	31.6%		44.8	247^th of 442 public high schools	44.1%	52		37.9	37.9				59.9	59.9				21.0	21.0	$17,066	$1,720	$15,346
Gateway to College	Public	9-12	2400 South 240th Street	Des Moines	98198	King County	Tukwila School District	No	No	No	No	(206) 878-3710	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)														$8,156	$1,921	$6,235
Maritime High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	615 S 200th St	Des Moines	98198	King County	Highline School District	No	Yes	No	No	(206) 631-6703	83	7	11.7	32.5%	38 (45.8%)	2 (2.4%)	17 (20.5%)	4 (4.8%)	1 (1.2%)	1 (1.2%)	12 (14.5%)	58.3	161^st of 437 public high schools	63.2%		52.9	197^th of 442 public high schools	55.4%	36		57.9	57.9				69.7	69.7				25.8	25.8	$6,950	$1,237	$5,713
Tyee High School	Public	9-12	4424 S 188th St	SeaTac	98188	King County	Highline School District	No	No	No	Yes	(206) 433-2341	674	37	18.4	82.8%	44 (6.5%)	147 (21.8%)	298 (44.2%)	79 (11.7%)	4 (0.6%)	67 (9.9%)	29 (4.3%)	3.6	435^th of 437 public high schools	0.5%		7.8	424^th of 442 public high schools	4.1%	11		12.9	12.9				19.2	19.2				7.1	7.1	$22,372	$1,790	$20,582
Big Picture School	Public	6-12	440 S 186th St	Burien	98148	King County	Highline School District	No	No	No	Yes	(206) 631-7700	236	19	12.3	55.1%	79 (33.5%)	19 (8.1%)	74 (31.4%)	15 (6.4%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (14.4%)	57.4	171^st of 437 public high schools	60.9%		46.9	230^th of 442 public high schools	48.0%	59	55.6	48.0	52.5	28.1	55.9	41.7	71.4	48.5	9.4	21.2	28.6	32.3	22.9	$22,123	$1,511	$20,612
CHOICE Academy	Public	6-12	18367 8th Ave S	Seattle	98148	King County	Highline School District	No	No	No	Yes	(206) 631-7630	172	8	21.3	50.0%	57 (33.1%)	32 (18.6%)	39 (22.7%)	22 (12.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.2%)	19 (11.0%)	85.6	51^st of 437 public high schools	88.3%		88.4	43^rd of 442 public high schools	90.3%	8	66.7		63.9	71.4	75.9	70.0	76.0	73.2	67.9	65.5	56.7	56.0	61.6	$17,350	$1,490	$15,861
Regional Justice Center	Public	9-12	401 4th Ave N	Kent	98032	King County	Kent School District	No	No	No	No	(253) 373-7134	0	0	9.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)														$30,110	$368	$29,742
Puget Sound High School	Public	9-12	18010 8th Ave South	Burien	98148	King County	Highline School District	No	No	No	Yes	(206) 631-7300	0	1	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)														$28,241	$2,338	$25,903
Puget Sound Skills Center	Public	10-12	18010 8th Ave S	Seattle	98148	King County	Highline School District	No	No	No	No	(206) 631-7300	5	18	.2		2 (40.0%)	1 (20.0%)	1 (20.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (20.0%)								(n/a)														$20,207	$1,499	$18,708

Frequently Asked Questions about Cascade Public Schools

Is Cascade Public Schools a good school?

Cascade Public Schools ranks in the bottom 4.3% of Washington high schools.

What district is Cascade Public Schools in?

Why Not You Academy

What is the racial makeup of Cascade Public Schools?

Students at Cascade Public Schools are 51% African American, 26% Hispanic, 10% White, 5% Two or more races, 4% Asian, 3% Pacific Islander, 1% Not Specified.

How many students attend Cascade Public Schools?

In the 2022-23 school year, 146 students attended Cascade Public Schools.

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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.