Best High Schools in Zip Code 98030

High schools in ZIP code 98030 include three schools serving grades 9–12, with one senior-only program: Kent-Meridian High School, the Individualized Graduation & Degree Program, and The Outreach Program. All are part of the Kent School District. Together they enroll about 2,071 students, although nearly four-fifths attend Kent-Meridian, a traditional comprehensive high school. The other two schools are smaller alternative programs with different goals and student populations, so their results should not be compared directly with a conventional high school.

Kent-Meridian High School has the most complete current information and the strongest student-teacher ratio, at 20.9 students per teacher. Its 2024–2025 graduation rate was 79.4%, below the district’s 86.5% and the state’s 82.6%, while its dropout rate was higher than both. Academic results show a clear difference among subjects: 2025–2026 proficiency was 41.32% in English language arts, 16.76% in math, and 14.72% in science. ELA and math improved modestly from the prior year, but science declined sharply. Families considering this school should pay particular attention to graduation support, attendance and credit recovery, and available help in math and science. The school serves a community with substantial economic need, with nearly 69% of students reported as eligible for free or reduced-price meals.

The Individualized Graduation & Degree Program serves 370 students through a specialized pathway. Its reported 2023–2024 graduation and dropout rates—6.1% and 64.0%—come from an earlier year and may reflect its alternative structure, so they require careful interpretation. Its 2025–2026 ELA and math results were suppressed, while science proficiency was 18.87%. The Outreach Program serves just 62 seniors and reports no comparable graduation or testing outcomes in the supplied data. It has the highest reported economic-need level, at 83.87%, and unusually high per-student spending, likely influenced by its small size. Parents should ask these programs about credit completion, re-engagement, graduation planning, and postsecondary transitions rather than relying only on traditional test-score comparisons.