Summary:
Wapato School District has three high schools serving grades 9–12: Wapato High School, Pace Alternative High School, and Wapato Online Academy 9-12. Together, they serve 974 students, but enrollment is concentrated at Wapato High, which has 853 students. Pace enrolls 88 students, while the online academy serves 33. This means Wapato High’s results have the greatest effect on the overall high school picture, while results at the two smaller schools may change more from year to year.
Wapato High School has the strongest graduation outcome, with 93.4% of students graduating in 2024–25—higher than both the district’s 90.2% and Washington’s 82.6%. However, academic assessment results show important challenges. English language arts proficiency was 39.04%, above the district’s 26.75% but below the state’s 52.81%. Math was the most serious weakness: only 4.86% were proficient, compared with 15.36% districtwide and 43.11% statewide. Science proficiency was 18.24%, about equal to the district but well below the state. Parents should note that a high graduation rate does not necessarily mean students are meeting state proficiency standards.
Pace Alternative High School offers a smaller setting, a 12-to-1 student-teacher ratio, and the highest reported spending per student, but its 73.0% graduation rate trails the other reported results. Its science proficiency was 15%, and older dropout data indicates a significant historical concern. Wapato Online Academy 9-12 has the smallest enrollment and reported 75.0% graduation in 2023–24; its ELA proficiency was 33.33%, above the district but below the state. Several results for both smaller schools were suppressed, so they should not be interpreted as zero. Overall, math and science improvement, attendance, credit completion, and graduation support are key issues for families to investigate.
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