Summary:
ZIP code 98273 has four high-school programs serving grades 9–12, with one large comprehensive high school and three smaller alternative or career-focused programs. Together, they report 1,988 students, but Mount Vernon High School enrolls about 93% of them. The schools serve a varied area in the Mount Vernon School District and Burlington-Edison School District, so families should compare programs by purpose and student needs rather than treating all four schools as equivalent.
Mount Vernon High School has the strongest overall profile among the schools with substantial available data. Its 2024–2025 graduation rate was 87.7%, above both the district’s 81.1% and Washington’s 82.6%. English Language Arts was another strength: 51.44% of students were proficient in 2025–2026, well above the district’s 36.35% and close to the state’s 52.81%. The main concerns are math, at 24.34% proficiency compared with 43.11% statewide, and science, at 35.85% compared with 50.95% statewide. The school’s ranking also improved over the reported three-year period, rising from 327th to 273rd and moving from one star to two.
The smaller schools serve different purposes. Mount Vernon Open Doors and Open Doors are alternative re-engagement programs, generally designed for students needing flexible paths toward graduation. Mount Vernon Open Doors reports a 22.2% graduation rate but a 7.9% dropout rate, figures that should be understood in light of its specialized mission and higher student needs. Northwest Career & Technical Academy/A WA Skills Center is a very small career and technical program with 43 students and a 2.9 student-teacher ratio; no graduation or assessment results are reported. Overall, families seeking a traditional high-school experience will find the most complete academic and graduation information at Mount Vernon High School, while the smaller programs may be better suited to re-engagement, flexible scheduling, or career-focused education.
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