Best Public Schools in Burbank, WA

Burbank, Washington, has three public schools serving students from kindergarten through 12th grade: Columbia Elementary, Columbia Middle School, and Columbia High School. Together, they enroll 776 students and are part of the Columbia (Walla Walla) School District, which ranks near the bottom of Washington districts in the supplied data. Families should expect relatively small schools, significant student needs, and academic results that are generally below state averages.

Columbia Elementary has the strongest overall academic profile in Burbank. It leads the local schools in English language arts and math, and its proficiency rates exceed the district averages in all three reported subjects. Fourth-grade ELA is a particular strength, while fifth-grade math is a notable weakness. Columbia Middle School has lower ELA and math results than the elementary school but stands out for science: proficiency increased sharply to 42% in 2025–26, above the district rate. Math remains challenging, especially in sixth and seventh grades, although eighth-grade results are stronger.

Columbia High School requires the most urgent academic attention. Its 2025–26 ranking was in the sixth percentile statewide, and math proficiency was only 7.81%, far below both the district and state. ELA and science also trailed state results, while the 79% graduation rate matched the district but remained below the statewide rate. Across Burbank, math is the clearest systemwide concern, with weaknesses appearing by upper elementary and middle school and becoming most severe in high school. The middle school’s science improvement is encouraging, while continued support in math, high school course completion, graduation, and student engagement appears especially important.