Emerson High School

Q: Is Emerson High School a good school?

Emerson High School ranks 92 nd of 437 Washington high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Emerson High School is a small public high school in Kirkland, Washington, serving 39 students in grades 9-12. It is part of the highly-ranked Lake Washington School District, but its performance lags behind many of its neighboring schools.

Emerson High School has some notable strengths, such as its top-ranked performance for special education students in the state. However, the school has seen a steady decline in its statewide ranking over the past decade, and its test scores in English and Math are lower than the district and state averages. The school also serves a higher percentage of white students compared to nearby schools like International Community School and International School, which have more diverse student populations.

Emerson High School's small size may present both challenges and opportunities. While the low student-teacher ratio could allow for more personalized attention, the limited resources and course offerings may constrain the school's ability to provide a comprehensive educational experience. Additionally, the school has seen an increase in the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, which could indicate that it is serving a more economically disadvantaged population and impacting academic performance.

Detail:

Public 9-12

10903 NE 53rd ST
Kirkland, WA 98033-7508

(425) 936-2300

District: Lake Washington School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
92^nd of 437 Washington High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $104,354

Student/teacher ratio: 6.5

Number of students: 64

Racial breakdown:

White:

56.3%

Hispanic:

18.8%

Two or more races:

12.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 39.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Emerson High School ranks better than 78.9% of high schools in Washington. It also ranks last among 6 ranked high schools in the Lake Washington School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 72.33. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Emerson High School 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 Student population at Emerson High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (56.3%), Hispanic (18.8%), two or more races (12.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 39.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Lake Washington School District. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Emerson High School is 6.5, which is the 3^rd best among 6 high schools in the Lake Washington School District. (See more...)

Compare Emerson High School employs 9.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Emerson High School is $104,354, which is the highest among 9 high schools in the Lake Washington School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Emerson High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Emerson High School 92^nd of 437 Washington public high schools. (See Emerson High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

White students:

Lake Washington School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Lake Washington School District 4^th of 247 Washington school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Emerson High School

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Rank History for all students at Emerson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile
2004	24.02	306^th	390	21.5%
2005	38.19	275^th	394	30.2%
2006	32.06	299^th	395	24.3%
2007	27.33	318^th	399	20.3%
2008	23.98	325^th	396	17.9%
2009	5.78	383^rd	402	4.7%
2010	42.84	269^th	423	36.4%
2011	13.35	373^rd	440	15.2%
2012	50.59	241^st	450	46.4%
2013	53.31	237^th	454	47.8%
2022	59.81	160^th	434	63.1%
2023	54.85	182^nd	442	58.8%
2024	72.33	92^nd	437	78.9%

See the entire list of Washington High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Emerson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	99.13	1^st	110	99.1%

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

Rank History for White students at Emerson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	66.26	112^th	374	70.1%

See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for White 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: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Teachers are fantastic. Excellent administrators. This team listens and cares about kids. Lots of individual assistance and small class sizes with very low student:teacher ratio. My teen loves it here and wishes we had founded it sooner. It’s far better than a nearby private school that we were paying $$$ for, the year prior to finding Emerson. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Emerson High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	170	2	2	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	175
1989	171	1	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	175
1990	165	2	2	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	175
1991	158	4	3	6	4	n/a	n/a	0	175
1992	162	1	4	5	4	n/a	n/a	0	176
1993	159	5	5	5	5	n/a	n/a	0	179
1994	163	4	10	9	3	n/a	n/a	0	189
1995	179	4	8	8	7	n/a	n/a	0	206
1996	179	4	8	8	7	n/a	n/a	0	206
1997	191	4	10	10	4	n/a	n/a	0	219
1998	184	9	10	13	1	n/a	n/a	0	217
1999	197	6	8	3	5	n/a	n/a	0	219
2000	191	2	18	6	2	n/a	n/a	0	219
2001	175	3	23	10	4	n/a	n/a	0	215
2002	162	2	12	11	4	n/a	n/a	0	191
2003	162	2	12	11	4	n/a	n/a	0	191
2004	140	7	11	16	7	n/a	n/a	0	181
2005	123	3	18	23	9	n/a	n/a	0	176
2006	121	8	9	19	8	n/a	n/a	12	177
2007	121	5	5	20	4	n/a	n/a	14	169
2008	83	1	11	19	3	n/a	n/a	11	128
2009	109	2	11	20	5	n/a	n/a	11	158
2010	93	3	7	18	4	n/a	n/a	8	133
2011	61	2	0	14	5	1	3	0	86
2012	46	2	0	23	1	0	9	0	81
2013	46	1	0	17	1	0	5	0	70
2014	44	1	0	9	1	0	4	0	59
2015	48	2	0	9	2	1	6	0	68
2016	51	0	1	12	1	1	3	0	69
2017	35	0	2	9	2	1	2	0	51
2018	38	0	3	9	2	0	2	0	54
2019	38	0	3	7	0	0	1	0	49
2020	41	0	3	6	0	0	4	0	54
2021	34	0	3	5	0	0	2	0	44
2022	18	0	2	2	0	0	2	1	25
2023	27	0	1	7	0	0	2	2	39
2024	36	0	3	12	1	0	8	4	64

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 Emerson High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	175	8.0	21.8	0
1989	175	8.0	21.8	n/a
1990	175	7.2	24.3	0
1991	175	7.8	22.4	n/a
1992	176	9.2	19.1	n/a
1993	179	8.9	20.1	n/a
1994	189	8.7	21.7	n/a
1995	206	10.0	20.6	n/a
1996	206	10.0	20.6	n/a
1997	219	10.0	21.9	n/a
1998	217	10.2	21.3	n/a
1999	219	10.0	21.9	n/a
2000	219	8.7	25.2	n/a
2001	215	10.3	20.9	n/a
2002	191	10.4	18.4	13.1
2003	191	10.4	18.4	13.1
2004	181	10.0	18.1	15.5
2005	176	9.9	17.8	23.3
2006	177	11.0	16.1	23
2007	169	10.0	16.9	20
2008	128	8.7	14.7	28.2
2009	158	8.7	18.2	30.6
2010	133	10.0	13.3	31.2
2011	86	9.7	8.8	15.1
2012	81	10.0	8.1	39.5
2013	70	9.5	7.3	47.1
2014	59	n/a	n/a	25.4
2015	68	10.0	6.8	27.9
2016	69	10.0	6.9	27.5
2017	51	9.5	5.3	25.5
2018	54	9.8	5.5	16.7
2019	49	10.0	4.9	22.4
2020	54	10.3	5.2	20.4
2021	44	10.3	4.2	15.9
2022	25	10.3	2.4	20
2023	39	10.0	3.9	25.6
2024	64	9.8	6.5	39.1

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 Emerson High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	175	8.0	21.8	0
1989	175	8.0	21.8	n/a
1990	175	7.2	24.3	0
1991	175	7.8	22.4	n/a
1992	176	9.2	19.1	n/a
1993	179	8.9	20.1	n/a
1994	189	8.7	21.7	n/a
1995	206	10.0	20.6	n/a
1996	206	10.0	20.6	n/a
1997	219	10.0	21.9	n/a
1998	217	10.2	21.3	n/a
1999	219	10.0	21.9	n/a
2000	219	8.7	25.2	n/a
2001	215	10.3	20.9	n/a
2002	191	10.4	18.4	13.1
2003	191	10.4	18.4	13.1
2004	181	10.0	18.1	15.5
2005	176	9.9	17.8	23.3
2006	177	11.0	16.1	23
2007	169	10.0	16.9	20
2008	128	8.7	14.7	28.2
2009	158	8.7	18.2	30.6
2010	133	10.0	13.3	31.2
2011	86	9.7	8.8	15.1
2012	81	10.0	8.1	39.5
2013	70	9.5	7.3	47.1
2014	59	n/a	n/a	25.4
2015	68	10.0	6.8	27.9
2016	69	10.0	6.9	27.5
2017	51	9.5	5.3	25.5
2018	54	9.8	5.5	16.7
2019	49	10.0	4.9	22.4
2020	54	10.3	5.2	20.4
2021	44	10.3	4.2	15.9
2022	25	10.3	2.4	20
2023	39	10.0	3.9	25.6
2024	64	9.8	6.5	39.1

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.

Immunization Rates

Emerson High School

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Year	Completely Immunized	Religious Exemption	Medical Exemption	Personal Exemption	Polio	Diphtheria	Hepatitis B	Varicella	MMR	Pertussis
2019	86.0%	0.0%	4.0%	10.0%	96.0%	92.0%	90.0%	94.0%	90.0%	94.0%

Data source: Washington State Department of Health

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Emerson High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$364 (0.9%)	$38,156 (99.1%)	$38,520
2020	$09 (0.0%)	$46,477 (100.0%)	$46,486
2021	$342 (0.4%)	$79,624 (99.6%)	$79,966
2022	$510 (0.5%)	$103,844 (99.5%)	$104,354

Data source: Washington Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Emerson High School

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.

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Emerson High School)	41.7	65	23.3%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Lake Washington School District)	90.7	88.4	2.3%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Washington)	72.8	65.9	6.9%
All Grades English Language Arts (Emerson High School)	41.7	65	23.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Lake Washington School District)	84.7	81.4	3.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Washington)	61	52.9	8.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	49	39	20.4%
African American	0	0
American Indian	0	0
Asian	3	1	66.7%
Hispanic	7	7
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	38	27	28.9%
Two or More Races	1	2	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	22.4%	25.6%	3.2%

Schools Near Emerson High School

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
Emerson High School	Public	9-12	10903 NE 53rd ST	Kirkland	98033	King County	Lake Washington School District	No	No	No	No	(425) 936-2300	64	10	6.5	39.1%	36 (56.3%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (18.8%)	3 (4.7%)	1 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (12.5%)	72.3	92^nd of 437 public high schools	78.9%		54.8	182^nd of 442 public high schools	58.8%	90							71.4	71.4				42.9	42.9	$104,354	$510	$103,845
International Community School	Public, Magnet	6-12	11133 NE 65th ST	Kirkland	98033	King County	Lake Washington School District	No	Yes	No	No	(425) 936-2380	406	22	18.0	3.0%	105 (25.9%)	4 (1.0%)	15 (3.7%)	251 (61.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (6.9%)								(n/a)	95.0		94.6	92.3	93.9	94.9		94.6	88.5	89.0	92.3		90.9	$18,755	$507	$18,248
Lake Washington High School	Public	9-12	12033 NE 80th	Kirkland	98033	King County	Lake Washington School District	No	No	No	No	(425) 936-1700	2,037	97	20.9	15.0%	1,046 (51.4%)	62 (3.0%)	267 (13.1%)	453 (22.2%)	1 (0.0%)	5 (0.2%)	196 (9.6%)	95.4	16^th of 437 public high schools	96.3%		94.6	15^th of 442 public high schools	96.6%	1		78.6	78.6				88.1	88.1				64.6	64.6	$17,757	$600	$17,157
Bellevue Open Doors Reengagement	Public	10-12	12111 NE 1st Street	Bellevue	98005	King County	Bellevue School District	No	No	No	No	(425) 456-4175	27	0		11.1%	13 (48.1%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (33.3%)	3 (11.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (7.4%)								(n/a)														$5,307	$219	$5,088
Washington Network for Innovative Careers Skill Center	Public	9-12	WaNIC	Redmond	98052	King County	Lake Washington School District	No	No	No	No	(425) 702-3283	2	4	.5		0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)														$19,789	$608	$19,181
Bellevue High School	Public	9-12	10416 Wolverine Way	Bellevue	98004	King County	Bellevue School District	No	No	No	No	(425) 456-7000	1,634	75	21.8	16.2%	567 (34.7%)	54 (3.3%)	135 (8.3%)	645 (39.5%)	2 (0.1%)	13 (0.8%)	208 (12.7%)	86.6	49^th of 437 public high schools	88.8%		95.9	10^th of 442 public high schools	97.7%	39		55.5	55.5				88.7	88.7				75.3	75.3	$16,581	$900	$15,681
Lake Washington Technical Academy	Public	11-12	11605 132nd Ave NE	Kirkland	98034	King County	Lake Washington Institute of Technology	No	No	No	No	(425) 739-8100	222	0			143 (64.4%)	6 (2.7%)	43 (19.4%)	10 (4.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (8.6%)								(n/a)
Open Doors at LWIT	Public	11-12	11605 132nd Ave NE	Kirkland	98034	King County	Lake Washington Institute of Technology	No	No	No	No	(425) 739-8274	372	0			134 (36.0%)	16 (4.3%)	54 (14.5%)	45 (12.1%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	23 (6.2%)								(n/a)
International School	Public	6-12	445 128th Ave SE	Bellevue	98005	King County	Bellevue School District	No	No	No	No	(425) 456-6500	597	30	19.6	8.0%	150 (25.1%)	9 (1.5%)	32 (5.4%)	343 (57.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	58 (9.7%)	98.9	2^nd of 437 public high schools	99.5%		99.2	2^nd of 442 public high schools	99.5%		91.2	91.8	91.5	75.3	92.5	89.9	96.3	88.2	73.1	85.0	84.4	86.6	82.1	$16,581	$578	$16,002
Interlake Senior High School	Public	9-12	16245 NE 24th Street	Bellevue	98008	King County	Bellevue School District	No	No	No	No	(425) 456-7200	1,604	82	19.4	27.1%	355 (22.1%)	64 (4.0%)	288 (18.0%)	767 (47.8%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.3%)	113 (7.0%)	94.4	21^st of 437 public high schools	95.2%		94.1	19^th of 442 public high schools	95.7%	2		74.4	74.4				85.8	85.8				69.6	69.6	$18,960	$630	$18,329

Frequently Asked Questions about Emerson High School

Is Emerson High School a good school?

Emerson High School ranks 92^nd of 437 Washington high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Emerson High School?

Students at Emerson High School are 56% White, 19% Hispanic, 13% Two or more races, 6% Not Specified, 5% Asian, 2% American Indian.

What district is Emerson High School in?

Lake Washington School District

How many students attend Emerson High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 64 students attended Emerson High School.

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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.