Summary:
Columbia (Walla Walla) School District serves about 776 students in three schools covering kindergarten through 12th grade in the Walla Walla area: Columbia Elementary, Columbia Middle School, and Columbia High School. Overall, the district ranks 212th of 238 Washington districts, placing it in the 11th percentile with a one-star rating, although performance varies noticeably by school and subject.
Columbia Elementary is the strongest overall school, ranking in the 23rd statewide percentile. It exceeds the district average in English language arts, math, and science, with its best results in fourth grade. Still, its 2025–26 proficiency rates remain below Washington averages, and fifth-grade math is a particular concern. Columbia Middle School ranks in the 20th percentile and has shown encouraging progress, especially in science, where 42% of students were proficient—well above the district average. Eighth grade is its strongest grade in both English language arts and math, while seventh grade is weaker.
Columbia High School needs the most immediate academic attention. It ranks in the 6th percentile, and proficiency is especially low in math, at 7.81%, compared with 22.47% districtwide and 43.11% statewide. High school science and English language arts are also below district and state results, and all three subjects declined from the prior year. The graduation rate was 79%, below Washington’s 82.6%. Across the district, math is a concern from elementary through high school, while substantial year-to-year changes in science should be examined using multiple years of results. The schools also serve relatively small cohorts, so annual percentages may fluctuate considerably.
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