Best Public Schools in Kirkland, WA

Kirkland, Washington is served by 25 public schools, primarily within the highly-ranked Lake Washington School District, offering education from kindergarten through 12th grade across 14 elementary, 5 middle, and 5 high schools, plus one alternative K-12 school.

The district as a whole performs exceptionally well, but there are clear standout schools, particularly those with specialized or selective enrollment. International Community School (ranked 3rd in the state), Northstar Middle School, and the Environmental & Adventure School achieve extraordinary test scores, often above 90% proficiency. Among traditional neighborhood schools, Lakeview Elementary and Benjamin Franklin Elementary are top performers, while Lake Washington High School generally outperforms Juanita High School academically despite both having strong graduation rates.

However, performance varies within the city, with some schools like Emerson High School facing significant challenges, including lower graduation rates, despite receiving high per-student funding to support student needs. Science is a notable strength across nearly all schools, with proficiency rates consistently higher than in math. For families, this means while the district is excellent overall, understanding the specific profile and performance of individual schools is key.