Best Public Schools in Puyallup, WA

The Puyallup area includes 36 schools serving students from elementary through high school, including 22 elementary schools, six middle schools, six traditional high schools, and two alternative schools. Most are part of the Puyallup School District, which ranks around the 70th percentile among Washington districts; other schools belong to the Bethel School District or Chief Leschi School. Overall performance varies considerably by campus, so families may want to compare individual schools rather than rely only on the districtwide average.

Among elementary schools, Shaw Road Elementary is the leading overall performer, ranking in the 83rd percentile and exceeding 60% proficiency in English language arts, math, and science. Spinning Elementary, Woodland Elementary, Frank Brouillet Elementary, and Fruitland Elementary also stand out, with strong results across most subjects. Woodland has the highest elementary science proficiency. Results are more mixed at schools such as Firgrove Elementary, Frederickson Elementary, and Stewart Elementary. Karshner Elementary, Maplewood Elementary, Meeker Elementary, and Sunrise Elementary have shown notable recent improvement. At the middle-school level, Kalles Junior High is the clear standout, ranking in the 80th percentile and outperforming the district in all three tested subjects.

The three large high schools have strong graduation outcomes: Puyallup High School leads with a 90.6% graduation rate and the highest ranking, followed by Gov John Rogers High School and Emerald Ridge High School. English language arts and science are generally strong, but math is the most consistent weakness across all three. Rogers has made especially sharp recent gains. Alternative programs, including Puyallup Online Academy/POA, Puyallup Open Doors/POD, and E B Walker High School, serve different student needs and should not be compared directly with comprehensive high schools. Families should focus on program fit, grade-specific results, graduation data, and each school’s approach to supporting students in mathematics.