Garfield at Palouse High School

Garfield at Palouse High School is a very small public high school in Palouse, Washington, serving 45 students in grades 9–12 and sharing an address with Palouse High School. It is part of the Garfield School District, which ranks 64th of 238 Washington districts, in the 73rd percentile. Garfield currently ranks 122nd of 396 schools, or the 69th percentile—still above the statewide midpoint, but down from the 91st percentile the previous year.

Math is the clearest current concern. Garfield’s proficiency rate fell to 36.36% in 2025–26, below Washington’s 43.11% and below nearby Colfax High School, Oakesdale High School, and Pullman High School. It was slightly higher than Palouse’s 35.29%. Science is a relative strength: Garfield posted 54.55% proficiency, above the state’s 50.95% and second among nearby schools with reported results, behind Pullman. Garfield’s ELA results are suppressed, meaning they are unavailable and should not be interpreted as low. The latest school-specific graduation rate available is 90.0% from 2018–19, so current graduation performance is unknown.

Families may also want to ask about staffing and support. Garfield reported 32.3 students per teacher in 2024–25, substantially higher than Palouse’s 7.7, Oakesdale’s 12.1, Colfax’s 16.0, and Pullman’s 19.0; this figure is not the same as average class size and may reflect reporting or staffing arrangements. About 48.89% of students qualified for free or reduced-price lunch, the highest share among these nearby comparisons. Because enrollment is only 45 students, a few students can noticeably change yearly percentages and rankings. The recent math decline deserves attention, while science remains encouraging; families should look for multiple years of results rather than relying on one testing cohort.