Best Public Schools in Sultan, WA

Sultan, Washington, has six schools serving students from kindergarten through grade 12 within the Sultan School District, with about 1,794 students across one elementary school, one middle school, one traditional high school, and three small alternative or specialized programs. The largest schools are Sultan Elementary School, Sultan Middle School, and Sultan Senior High School, which together enroll about 96% of the students. The district ranks around the 60th percentile statewide, with a three-star rating.

Sultan Elementary School has the strongest overall test profile, especially in math and science. In 2025–2026, 55.48% of students were proficient in math and 59% in science, both above state results; its ELA rate was 50.48%, above the district but slightly below the state. Sultan Senior High School has the strongest recent improvement and the highest ELA performance, with 68.14% proficiency. Its 90.8% graduation rate and 5.6% dropout rate are also better than state comparisons. However, high-school math remains a concern at 29.2%, well below the state. The main area needing attention is Sultan Middle School, where ELA, math, and science proficiency were 40%, 28.19%, and 42.31%, respectively. Its ranking also fell sharply, suggesting that middle-grade instruction, intervention, and the transition from elementary school deserve close attention.

The smaller programs serve different needs and should not be judged by the same measures as the traditional schools. Sky Valley Options had an 83% graduation rate, while current test results are suppressed. Sultan Virtual Academy and Open Doors Youth Reengagement are very small, and their available graduation and dropout figures are older or limited. Parents comparing schools should focus on elementary math and science strengths, the high school’s graduation and ELA results, and the middle school’s need for academic improvement. For alternative programs, completion, credit recovery, attendance, and individualized student support may be more useful than standard test-score comparisons.