Best Public Schools in Valley, WA

The Valley School District in Washington serves about 1,050 students across three public schools: two K-8 elementary schools and one small high school, with no traditional middle school in this data.

When comparing schools, Columbia Virtual Academy stands out for strong academic performance, with test scores in English and Science well above both the district and state averages, despite having the largest classes and lowest spending per student. In contrast, Valley School, which serves a higher-need population, has lower test scores but benefits from smaller class sizes and significantly more funding per student. The district's high school, Paideia High School, is very small with only 23 students, features an exceptionally low student-teacher ratio and very high per-student spending, and reports a solid graduation rate.

Overall, the Valley School District performs below state averages, largely influenced by the lower scores at Valley School. The significant performance gap between the two elementary schools, which serve the same grade ranges, is a key finding, as is the extreme variation in how resources are allocated across the three very different school models. Parents should note the distinct approaches and outcomes of each school, from the large, high-performing virtual academy to the smaller, more resource-intensive traditional and high school programs.