Best Public Schools in Zip Code 98229

Summary:

This analysis examines four public schools in the 98229 zip code of Bellingham, Washington, all part of the Bellingham School District, serving grades K-8 across three elementary schools and one middle school.

Kulshan Middle School stands out as the top performer, consistently earning 4-star ratings and ranking in the 83rd percentile statewide, significantly outperforming district and state averages in all subjects. Among elementary schools, Geneva Elementary School has shown notable recent improvement and excels in science, while Wade King Elementary School also performs solidly. In contrast, Carl Cozier Elementary School faces significant challenges, with proficiency rates below district averages and a consistent 2-star rating.

Key takeaways include a clear correlation between higher economic need and lower academic performance, though Kulshan Middle School achieves high outcomes despite a moderate need level. Interestingly, higher per-student spending and more favorable student-teacher ratios do not directly translate to higher test scores in this group. Science is a relative strength across all schools, with each exceeding the state average. The data reveals significant variation in school performance within the same district and zip code, highlighting the importance of examining individual school environments and practices.

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				WCAS Science (2025)			SBAC English Language Arts (2025)							SBAC Math (2025)							% Completely Immunized (2024)	% Polio (2024)	% Measles (2024)	% Mumps (2024)	% Rubella (2024)	% Diphtheria (2024)	% Hepatitis B (2024)	% Varicella (2024)	% Pertussis (2024)	% Tetanus (2024)	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 5th Grade	WCAS Science 8th Grade	WCAS Science All Grades	SBAC English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 4th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 6th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 7th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 8th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts All Grades	SBAC Math 3rd Grade	SBAC Math 4th Grade	SBAC Math 5th Grade	SBAC Math 6th Grade	SBAC Math 7th Grade	SBAC Math 8th Grade	SBAC Math All Grades	% Completely Immunized KG	% Polio KG	% Measles KG	% Mumps KG	% Rubella KG	% Diphtheria KG	% Hepatitis B KG	% Varicella KG	% Pertussis KG	% Tetanus KG	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Carl Cozier Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1330 Lincoln St	Bellingham	98229	Whatcom County	Bellingham School District	No	No	No	Yes	(360) 676-6410	325	23	14.3	53.2%	192 (59.1%)	2 (0.6%)	81 (24.9%)	8 (2.5%)	2 (0.6%)	2 (0.6%)	38 (11.7%)	34.5	759^th of 1160 public elementary schools	34.6%		43.3	643^rd of 1168 public elementary schools	44.9%	116	51.9		51.9	15.1	45.2	53.6				37.8	11.1	45.2	43.4				32.2	81.3	84.4	87.5	87.5	87.5	81.3	92.2	84.4	81.3	81.3	$19,532	$624	$18,907
Geneva Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1401 Geneva St	Bellingham	98229	Whatcom County	Bellingham School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 676-6416	412	23	18.1	32.0%	300 (72.8%)	6 (1.5%)	50 (12.1%)	8 (1.9%)	4 (1.0%)	3 (0.7%)	41 (10.0%)	63.1	398^th of 1160 public elementary schools	65.7%		67.6	343^rd of 1168 public elementary schools	70.6%	55	70.7		70.7	65.2	52.6	75.9				63.4	44.9	42.9	44.8				44.1	87.2	88.4	90.7	90.7	90.7	88.4	96.5	89.5	88.4	88.4	$16,989	$313	$16,675
Kulshan Middle School	Public	6-8	1250 Kenoyer Dr	Bellingham	98229	Whatcom County	Bellingham School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 676-4886	575	33	17.6	28.7%	422 (73.4%)	4 (0.7%)	73 (12.7%)	13 (2.3%)	4 (0.7%)	3 (0.5%)	54 (9.4%)	81.5	90^th of 534 public middle schools	83.1%		87	62^nd of 535 public middle schools	88.4%	28		66.0	66.0				62.4	75.6	65.4	67.5				42.9	65.9	53.2	53.5											$18,256	$607	$17,649
Wade King Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2155 Yew Street Rd	Bellingham	98229	Whatcom County	Bellingham School District	No	No	No	No	(360) 676-6840	297	18	16.3	21.9%	232 (78.1%)	1 (0.3%)	32 (10.8%)	11 (3.7%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (5.7%)	59.2	446^th of 1160 public elementary schools	61.6%		60.4	442^nd of 1168 public elementary schools	62.2%	4	70.9		70.9	51.1	48.0	57.1				52.3	52.3	50.0	49.1				50.3	81.5	85.2	83.3	83.3	83.3	87.0	92.6	81.5	87.0	87.0	$20,706	$314	$20,392

Cities Near Zip Code 98229

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Bellingham	0.19 mi	36	105^th
Everson	6.9 mi	7	137^th
Lynden	7.15 mi	9	104^th
Ferndale	8.76 mi	11	197^th
Deming	10.77 mi	4	233^rd

See the top WA Washington cities

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.