Best Public Schools in Kennewick, WA

Kennewick, Washington, has 32 schools serving elementary, middle, high-school, and alternative students across the Kennewick School District and Finley School District. The area includes 17 elementary schools, six middle schools, eight high schools, and one alternative school, although detailed records were provided for 31 schools. Kennewick School District ranks 124th of 238 Washington districts, while Finley ranks 223rd.

School performance varies widely, especially at the elementary level. Cottonwood Elementary and Ridge View Elementary School are the clearest leaders, with roughly 70% proficiency in English language arts and math and especially strong science results. Sage Crest Elementary also performs above district and state averages. By comparison, Amistad Elementary School, Eastgate Elementary School, and Edison Elementary School report much lower proficiency rates. Among middle schools, Desert Hills Middle School stands well above the others, exceeding state averages in English, math, and science; Chinook Middle School is the next strongest overall.

Among comprehensive high schools, Kamiakin High School leads in ranking, English performance, and graduation rate, while Southridge High School has particularly strong science results and recently improved its ranking. Kennewick High School has also made substantial progress. All three graduate at rates above 86%, but math proficiency is notably weaker than English. Alternative and specialized schools—including Mid-Columbia Parent Partnership, Legacy High School, and Endeavor High School—serve different student populations, so their graduation and test results should be compared cautiously. Parents should also consider attendance, student supports, school programs, and multi-year trends rather than relying on one score.