Summary:
ZIP code 98225 has five high schools serving primarily grades 9–12, with one specialized school serving grades 6–12; most students attend larger comprehensive schools in Bellingham School District, while two very small programs serve specialized student needs.
For traditional high school options, Bellingham High School and Sehome High School are the strongest choices overall. Bellingham has the highest ranking in the area, placing in the 85th percentile statewide, and leads in English Language Arts with 72.96% proficiency. It also slightly leads in math. Sehome ranks in the 81st percentile and offers the strongest completion outcomes: a 91.1% graduation rate and a 4.6% dropout rate. Sehome also has the highest science proficiency at 69.34%. Both schools perform above Washington’s averages in most subjects, although math is a challenge at both, with fewer than half of students proficient.
Options High School is a much smaller alternative program with 176 students. Its ranking and English Language Arts performance improved substantially, but its math, science, and graduation results remain below those of Bellingham and Sehome. Its higher spending per student and smaller student–teacher ratio reflect its specialized structure and should not be compared directly with large comprehensive schools. Meridian Impact Re-Engagement, part of Meridian School District, has 21 students, while Visions (Seamar Youth Center) has 11 and serves grades 6–12. Current outcome data for these specialized programs is limited, so missing results should be viewed as unknown rather than negative.
Thank you for your feedback!