Summary
Kennewick High School in Kennewick, Washington, is a large public school serving grades 9–12, with 1,921 students in the Kennewick School District and the broader Tri-Cities area. The school ranks 211th out of 396 Washington high schools, or approximately the 47th percentile, and has a two-star rating. However, its recent progress is encouraging: it moved up from approximately the 19th percentile in 2020–21. The school also serves an economically diverse population, with 62.94% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.
Academically, English language arts is a relative strength. In 2025–26, 57.53% of students were proficient in ELA, higher than both the district rate of 49.42% and the statewide rate of 52.81%. Science proficiency was 45.14%, ahead of the district and nearby Kamiakin High School, which reported 39.00%. Math is the clearest challenge: only 24.75% of Kennewick students were proficient, compared with 36.83% districtwide, 43.11% statewide, and 34.38% at Kamiakin. Kennewick also trails Kamiakin in ELA and math, although the two schools are similar in size and student-teacher ratio. Science has improved substantially from 32.12% in 2022–23, while math has remained below 25% for four reported years.
Completion outcomes are stronger than the test scores might suggest. Kennewick’s 2024–25 graduation rate was 86.8%, above the district’s 82.0% and the state’s 82.6%, while its 4.8% dropout rate was well below both comparison rates. Kamiakin remains somewhat stronger overall, with a 90.8% graduation rate and 3.8% dropout rate. Kennewick’s recent subgroup-effectiveness rankings have improved broadly, including for low-income students, English learners, and students receiving special education services. For parents, the main takeaway is a school showing meaningful overall improvement and strong persistence outcomes, with sustained math improvement—and closer attention to 10th-grade ELA—as its most important next steps.
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