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Options High School

Public Grades 9-12

361^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 438 Washington High Schools

Better than 18% of Washington high schools

Summary

Options High School is a small public high school serving 176 students in grades 9-12 within the Bellingham School District, offering an alternative educational setting with a very low student-to-teacher ratio of about 8-to-1.

The school serves a population with high economic need and, while it receives significantly more funding per student than other district high schools like Sehome High School or Bellingham High School, its overall academic performance and graduation rates are consistently lower. For example, its graduation rate is 77% compared to the district average of 88%, and its proficiency rates in core subjects like math and English are well below both district and state averages. Its statewide ranking has declined over the past five years, placing it in the lower percentiles.

Important context is that Options High School demonstrates notable strength in serving Special Education students, ranking in the 84th-87th percentiles statewide for that subgroup. Compared to other alternative programs such as the Bellingham Re-Engagement Program, Options has stronger outcomes, but it does not perform as well as the traditional comprehensive high schools in the area on most standard metrics, reflecting its distinct mission to serve students who may benefit from a non-traditional approach.

176

Students ?

8.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$24,414

Per pupil spending ?

54%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2015 Franklin St
Bellingham, WA 98225-4220

(360) 647-6871

District: Bellingham School District

Racial breakdown:

White:

70.5%

Hispanic:

15.3%

Not Specified:

7.4%

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At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 27th percentile in 2012 → 18th in 2025

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 9 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Washington average (31% vs 48% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (18th percentile)

!Graduation rate below the Washington average (77% vs 83%)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school31%

District avg53%

Washington avg48%

361^st of 438

Washington public high schools ?

Bottom 18%▲ up 7 pts since 2016

From bottom 11% (2016) to bottom 18% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Washington High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

4^th of 4High Schools in the Bellingham School District

89^th of 247Bellingham School District among Washington districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2025	18.4	361 of 438	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	16.0	385 of 437	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	17.6	386 of 442	12.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	32.0	306 of 434	29.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	42.7	249 of 455	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	24.3	330 of 417	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	34.4	221 of 301	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	18.9	273 of 306	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	25.1	363 of 454	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	31.8	327 of 450	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	40.8	270 of 440	38.6%	★★☆☆☆
2010	37.6	294 of 423	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2009	21.6	330 of 402	17.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	39.4	278 of 396	29.8%	★★☆☆☆
2007	46.6	252 of 399	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2006	24.6	320 of 395	19.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	36.4	284 of 394	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	18.6	327 of 390	16.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2025	14.4	312 of 350	10.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	24.0	278 of 347	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	31.0	251 of 357	29.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	23.1	299 of 368	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	45.6	198 of 390	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	28.9	272 of 358	24.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2025	11.6	335 of 355	5.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	20.8	307 of 356	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	40.6	223 of 370	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	57.4	128 of 392	67.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	27.8	269 of 344	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2025	24.2	278 of 359	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	16.7	317 of 362	12.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	13.8	327 of 358	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	45.5	195 of 363	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	60.2	128 of 395	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	25.1	282 of 355	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2022	80.6	17 of 130	86.9%	★★★★☆
2021	66.7	34 of 212	84.0%	★★★★☆
2019	77.3	20 of 128	84.4%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Washington percentile	Rating
2025	13.6	341 of 373	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	9.6	353 of 374	5.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	16.1	334 of 379	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	31.7	285 of 390	26.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	38.4	256 of 413	38.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	24.2	320 of 382	16.2%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Special Education (2022)87th percentile+57 vs school

Male (2025)23rd percentile+5 vs school

Female (2025)11th percentile-7 vs school

White (2025)9th percentile-9 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)6th percentile-12 vs school

By subject vs Washington (2024-2025) ?

Science39%-11 vs state

English Language Arts38%-15 vs state

Math17%-26 vs state

★

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Schools Near Options High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				WCAS Science (2025)		SBAC English Language Arts (2025)		SBAC Math (2025)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	WCAS Science 11th Grade	WCAS Science All Grades	SBAC English Language Arts 10th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts All Grades	SBAC Math 10th Grade	SBAC Math All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Options High School	Public	9-12	2015 Franklin St	Bellingham	98225	Whatcom County	Bellingham School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 647-6871	176	20	8.6	54.0%	124 (70.5%)	2 (1.1%)	27 (15.3%)	1 (0.6%)	4 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.8%)	18.4	361^st of 438 public high schools	17.6%		16	385^th of 437 public high schools	11.9%	24	38.7	38.7	38.1	38.1	16.7	16.7	$24,414	$385	$24,029
Bellingham High School	Public	9-12	2020 Cornwall Ave	Bellingham	98225	Whatcom County	Bellingham School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 676-6575	1,165	55	21.3	35.5%	788 (67.6%)	20 (1.7%)	215 (18.5%)	27 (2.3%)	10 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	89 (7.6%)	77.1	75^th of 438 public high schools	82.9%		72.2	94^th of 437 public high schools	78.5%	19	65.8	65.8	72.4	72.4	43.6	43.6	$17,636	$344	$17,292
Whatcom County Detention Center	Public	8-12	311 Grand Ave 6th Fl	Bellingham	98225	Whatcom County	Northwest Educational Service District 189	No	No	No	No	(360) 676-6707	4	0			3 (75.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (25.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Visions (Seamar Youth Center)	Public	6-12	1603 E Illinois St	Bellingham	98226	Whatcom County	Bellingham School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 647-6871	11	0		63.6%	5 (45.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (54.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)							$5,848	$311	$5,537
Bellingham Re-Engagement Program	Public, Virtual	9-12	1985 Barkley Blvd	Bellingham	98226	Whatcom County	Bellingham School District	No	No	Yes	No	(360) 676-6400	110	0		62.7%	70 (63.6%)	2 (1.8%)	24 (21.8%)	3 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.8%)	4 (3.6%)								(n/a)							$5,848	$311	$5,537
Blaine Re-Engagement	Public	10-12	Bellingham Technical College	Bellingham	98225	Whatcom County	Blaine School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 332-6045	14	0		64.3%	10 (71.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (21.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (7.1%)								(n/a)							$16,133	$186	$15,946
Meridian Impact Re-Engagement	Public	9-12	3028 Lindbergh Ave	Bellingham	98225	Whatcom County	Meridian School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 318-2280	21	0		33.3%	8 (38.1%)	1 (4.8%)	9 (42.9%)	1 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (4.8%)	1 (4.8%)								(n/a)							$4,616	$67	$4,548
Sehome High School	Public	9-12	2700 Bill McDonald Pkwy	Bellingham	98225	Whatcom County	Bellingham School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 676-6481	1,116	51	21.8	29.9%	775 (69.4%)	26 (2.3%)	135 (12.1%)	59 (5.3%)	8 (0.7%)	4 (0.4%)	94 (8.4%)	78.4	72^nd of 438 public high schools	83.6%		72	97^th of 437 public high schools	77.8%	25	66.0	66.0	71.8	71.8	46.1	46.1	$17,517	$341	$17,176
Intergenerational High School	Public, Magnet, Charter	9-12	1 Bellis Fair Parkway	Bellingham	98226	Whatcom County	Intergenerational High School	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	(360) 927-1119	107	8	13.3	23.4%	52 (48.6%)	1 (0.9%)	12 (11.2%)	3 (2.8%)	11 (10.3%)	1 (0.9%)	6 (5.6%)	53.4	192^nd of 438 public high schools	56.2%		44.5	243^rd of 437 public high schools	44.4%	51	100.0	100.0	33.3	33.3			$34,079	$1,103	$32,977
Squalicum High School	Public	9-12	3773 E McLeod Rd	Bellingham	98226	Whatcom County	Bellingham School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 676-6471	1,273	60	21.1	43.2%	670 (52.6%)	20 (1.6%)	341 (26.8%)	111 (8.7%)	9 (0.7%)	3 (0.2%)	106 (8.3%)	54.1	190^th of 438 public high schools	56.6%		46.1	226^th of 437 public high schools	48.3%	36	42.9	42.9	69.4	69.4	35.5	35.5	$18,391	$342	$18,049

Frequently Asked Questions about Options High School

Is Options High School a good school?

Options High School ranks in the bottom 17.6% of Washington high schools.

What is the racial makeup of Options High School?

Students at Options High School are 70% White, 15% Hispanic, 7% Not Specified, 3% Two or more races, 2% American Indian, 1% African American.

What district is Options High School in?

Bellingham School District

How many students attend Options High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 176 students attended Options High School.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Washington State Department of Health and the Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.