Summary:
Washoe County is home to 113 schools — 73 elementary, 18 middle, 18 high, and 4 alternative — serving students in and around Reno, Sparks, and outlying communities. The Washoe County district is rated 4th of 12 Nevada districts, at the 67th percentile with 4 stars, but that single district rating masks enormous differences between individual schools, which range from first in the state to near the bottom.
At the elementary level, Caughlin Ranch Elementary is the clear standout, ranked 1st of 376 in Nevada with math at 82.8 and reading at 86.6. Ted Hunsberger Elementary ranks 3rd and reports the lowest elementary chronic absenteeism at 6.5%. Mount Rose K-8 Academy Of Languages posts exceptional middle-grade results, with several scores at or above 95%, and Hunter Lake Elementary is a striking exception to the poverty pattern, earning math 71.9 and reading 75.6 with 100% free/reduced lunch. Among middle schools, Marce Herz Middle School leads at 18th of 148. At the high school level, Coral Academy High School combines a 93.7% graduation rate with 84.2% ACT English and 10.5% chronic absenteeism, while Galena High School and Incline High School also perform well.
The biggest systemic concern is chronic absenteeism, which averages roughly 38.9% at the high school level — well above the district's 27.5%. Procter R. Hug High School reports 66.6% and Sparks High School 54.5%, alongside low test scores. Edward L. Pine Middle School ranks 147th of 148. Notably, spending and class size do not reliably predict results: Lois Allen Elementary spends $36,371 per student yet scores in the teens, while Coral Academy Middle School spends $6,723 per student with reading at 61.6. Small alternative schools such as Innovations High School serve specialized populations and should be compared cautiously.
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