Palouse High School

Summary:

Palouse High School is a small public high school serving grades 9-12 in the town of Palouse, Washington, with a student population of just 53 as of the 2022-2023 school year. While the school has some areas of excellence, such as strong test scores and a low student-teacher ratio, it also faces challenges in terms of racial homogeneity, fluctuating rankings, and a concerning increase in dropout rates.

Palouse High School stands out for its high percentage of white students (79.25%) compared to nearby schools like Pullman High School (65.62% white). The school also outperforms the state average in math and science proficiency, with 50% of 10th-graders proficient in math and 63.64% of 11th-graders proficient in science, compared to state averages of 33.27% and 50.53%, respectively. Additionally, Palouse High School has maintained a relatively high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 78.9% to 85% in recent years, higher than the nearby Colfax High School (82.6%) and Garfield at Palouse High School (90% in 2018-2019).

However, Palouse High School's performance has been inconsistent, with its statewide ranking fluctuating from 26th out of 341 high schools in 2014-2015 to 236th out of 434 high schools in 2021-2022. The school also faces challenges, such as a significant increase in its dropout rate, from 5.8% in 2021-2022 to 21% in 2022-2023. Additionally, while Palouse High School outperforms the state average in some areas, it lags behind nearby high-performing schools like Colfax High School and Pullman High School in terms of test scores, graduation rates, and spending per student. By addressing these areas of concern and learning from the practices of higher-performing schools, Palouse High School can continue to improve and provide a high-quality education for its students.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 600 E Alder Street
       Palouse, WA  99161-8780


(509) 878-1921

District: Palouse School District

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $29,506 Help


Feeder schools for Palouse High School:

Elementary:    Palouse Elementary
Middle:    Palouse at Garfield Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  7.5 Help
Number of students:  53

Racial breakdown:

White:
79.2%
Hispanic:
11.3%
American Indian:
3.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  35.8% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Palouse High School is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 82.15. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Palouse High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (79.2%), Hispanic (11.3%), American Indian (3.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 35.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Palouse High School is 7.5. (See more...)
Help
Compare Palouse High School employs 6.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Palouse High School is $29,506.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Palouse High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Palouse School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Palouse School District 54th of 247 Washington school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Palouse High School

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Rank History for all students at Palouse High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 77.31 77th 390 80.3%
2005 96.15 3rd 394 99.2%
2006 94.55 4th 395 99.0%
2007 79.68 60th 399 85.0%
2008 83.72 36th 396 90.9%
2009 81.60 49th 402 87.8%
2010 52.44 222nd 423 47.5%
2011 67.48 88th 440 80.0%
2012 65.63 115th 450 74.4%
2013 78.53 33rd 454 92.7%
2015 87.24 26th 341 92.4%
2017 59.54 139th 301 53.8%
2019 54.70 185th 417 55.6%
2021 71.92 96th 455 78.9%
2022 45.05 236th 434 45.6%
2023 82.15 59th 442 86.7%
See the entire list of Washington High School Rankings!

Rank History for Male students at Palouse High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 46.62 192nd 355 45.9%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Palouse High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 44.45 220th 382 42.4%
2021 58.37 145th 413 64.9%
2022 50.14 193rd 390 50.5%
2023 67.55 104th 379 72.6%
2024 43.65 218th 374 41.7%
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.

Palouse High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 




Data source: Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Palouse High School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1993 111 0 2 2 3 n/a n/a 0 118
1994 109 0 1 2 2 n/a n/a 0 114
1995 133 0 0 3 2 n/a n/a 0 138
1996 133 0 0 3 2 n/a n/a 0 138
1997 134 0 0 5 1 n/a n/a 0 140
1998 131 0 0 6 2 n/a n/a 0 139
1999 144 0 0 1 3 n/a n/a 0 148
2000 146 0 0 1 2 n/a n/a 0 149
2001 130 0 0 5 1 n/a n/a 0 136
2002 121 0 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 124
2003 121 0 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 124
2004 107 0 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 111
2005 71 0 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 73
2006 69 0 1 6 0 n/a n/a 2 78
2007 81 0 0 6 0 n/a n/a 1 88
2008 76 0 0 7 2 n/a n/a 2 87
2009 70 0 0 6 3 n/a n/a 3 82
2010 64 0 0 5 3 n/a n/a 2 74
2011 56 0 0 9 2 0 1 0 68
2012 48 0 0 6 1 0 6 0 61
2013 61 0 0 7 0 0 5 0 73
2014 44 0 0 9 0 0 3 0 56
2015 49 0 0 6 0 0 3 0 58
2016 43 1 0 6 1 0 2 0 53
2017 39 0 0 6 1 0 2 0 48
2018 52 0 0 3 0 0 5 0 60
2019 47 0 0 2 0 0 3 0 52
2020 53 0 0 2 0 0 3 0 58
2021 54 0 0 3 0 0 5 0 62
2022 41 0 0 6 1 0 3 1 52
2023 42 0 0 6 2 0 2 1 53

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 Palouse High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1993 118 6.5 18.2 n/a
1994 114 6.8 16.8 n/a
1995 138 6.5 21.2 n/a
1996 138 6.5 21.2 n/a
1997 140 8.0 17.5 n/a
1998 139 6.5 21.4 n/a
1999 148 7.6 19.5 n/a
2000 149 10.1 14.8 n/a
2001 136 9.3 14.6 n/a
2002 124 7.0 17.7 23.4
2003 124 7.0 17.7 23.4
2004 111 9.0 12.3 27
2005 73 8.6 8.5 42.5
2006 78 8.3 9.4 14.5
2007 88 7.2 12.2 58.6
2008 87 7.9 11.0 34.1
2009 82 7.9 10.4 57
2010 74 8.5 8.7 27.8
2011 68 8.4 8.0 22.1
2012 61 8.5 7.1 32.8
2013 73 8.0 9.1 28.8
2014 56 n/a n/a 21.4
2015 58 7.0 8.2 34.5
2016 53 8.0 6.6 35.8
2017 48 6.7 7.1 29.2
2018 60 7.0 8.5 31.7
2019 52 7.0 7.3 21.2
2020 58 7.0 8.2 25.9
2021 62 7.1 8.7 30.6
2022 52 7.8 6.6 36.5
2023 53 6.9 7.5 35.8

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 Palouse High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1993 118 6.5 18.2 n/a
1994 114 6.8 16.8 n/a
1995 138 6.5 21.2 n/a
1996 138 6.5 21.2 n/a
1997 140 8.0 17.5 n/a
1998 139 6.5 21.4 n/a
1999 148 7.6 19.5 n/a
2000 149 10.1 14.8 n/a
2001 136 9.3 14.6 n/a
2002 124 7.0 17.7 23.4
2003 124 7.0 17.7 23.4
2004 111 9.0 12.3 27
2005 73 8.6 8.5 42.5
2006 78 8.3 9.4 14.5
2007 88 7.2 12.2 58.6
2008 87 7.9 11.0 34.1
2009 82 7.9 10.4 57
2010 74 8.5 8.7 27.8
2011 68 8.4 8.0 22.1
2012 61 8.5 7.1 32.8
2013 73 8.0 9.1 28.8
2014 56 n/a n/a 21.4
2015 58 7.0 8.2 34.5
2016 53 8.0 6.6 35.8
2017 48 6.7 7.1 29.2
2018 60 7.0 8.5 31.7
2019 52 7.0 7.3 21.2
2020 58 7.0 8.2 25.9
2021 62 7.1 8.7 30.6
2022 52 7.8 6.6 36.5
2023 53 6.9 7.5 35.8

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

Palouse High School

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Compare
YearCompletely ImmunizedReligious ExemptionMedical ExemptionPersonal ExemptionPolioDiphtheriaHepatitis BVaricellaMMRPertussis
201994.1%1.2%2.4%2.4%97.7%95.3%96.5%95.3%97.7%95.3%

Data source: Washington State Department of Health
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Palouse High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $554 (2.1%) $25,653 (97.9%) $26,208
2020 $10 (0.1%) $19,361 (99.9%) $19,371
2021 $498 (2.0%) $24,910 (98.0%) $25,407
2022 $1,725 (5.8%) $27,781 (94.2%) $29,506

Data source: Washington Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Palouse 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.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 185th of 417 High schoolsRanks 59th of 442 High schools
 31%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Palouse High School)77.854.6
 23.2%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Palouse School District)77.854.6
 23.2%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Washington)72.869.4
 3.4%
10th Grade Math (Palouse High School)33.350
 16.7%
   10th Grade Math (Palouse School District)33.350
 16.7%
   10th Grade Math (Washington)42.433.3
 9.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Palouse High School)77.854.6
 23.2%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Palouse School District)74.570.5
 4%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Washington)6153.5
 7.5%
All Grades Math (Palouse High School)33.350
 16.7%
   All Grades Math (Palouse School District)55.139.2
 15.9%
   All Grades Math (Washington)50.141
 9%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students5253
 1.9%
African American00
American Indian02
Asian00
Hispanic26
 200%
Pacific Islander00
White4742
 10.6%
Two or More Races32
 33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients21.2%35.8%
 14.7%


Schools Near Palouse High School









Frequently Asked Questions about Palouse High School

Palouse High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Palouse Elementary
Middle : Palouse at Garfield Middle School

Students at Palouse High School are 79% White, 11% Hispanic, 4% American Indian, 4% Two or more races, 2% Not Specified.

In the 2022-23 school year, 53 students attended Palouse 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.





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