30 public K-12 schools in Bellingham from NCES Common Core of Data: enrollment, grade span, demographics, and Civil Rights Data Collection statistics for every active campus.
30 public schools ranked by quality score. NCES CCD 2024-25 data.
The highest-ranked of Bellingham's 30 public schools is Squalicum High School, scoring 46/100, against a city average of 46.7/100. Computed live across every Bellingham campus reporting to NCES.
How the Bellingham Public-School Landscape Breaks Down
Bellingham, WA enrolls 11,814 students across 30 public schools reporting to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those, 1 are charter schools, giving families genuine alternatives to the traditional neighbourhood assignment model. The average student-teacher ratio across the city is 16.4:1, and the composite quality score, derived from student-teacher ratio, counselor access, gifted-program availability, and CRDC attendance data, averages 46.7/100. Schools must report at least five campuses in a city to appear in this listing, which is why very small towns may redirect to the broader county or state view.
The most-resourced campus in Bellingham on this index is Squalicum High School, at 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index with 1,273 enrolled students. What the index does and doesn't measure; click any school below for its full component breakdown.
Bellingham spans 7 districts, each filing its own NCES F-33 return, per-pupil spending can vary between neighbouring campuses. Sort the table below by enrollment, level, or district; click any school for its full profile.
Bellingham school enrollment varies 318× across entities
Bellingham school enrollment ranges from 4 students (lowest) to 1,273 students (highest), a spread of 1,269 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. Per-school staffing, programme depth, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same city based on enrollment shape, a 200-student magnet runs a different operational model than a 2,000-student comprehensive high school.
Bellingham operates 7 school districts — among the most fragmented governance structures in the country
Each school district has independent budgeting, hiring, and service delivery authority. The fragmentation reflects historical patterns of inter-municipal boundary lines that pre-date modern city growth, students in different parts of the same city can attend different districts with different per-pupil spending, calendars, and graduation requirements. Per-region variation is largest in fragmented systems because each school district sets its own budget, contracts, and priorities without higher-level coordination above the regulatory floor.
Bellingham student-teacher ratio is 16.4:1 — near the typical range (US average ~15.7) — aligned with the U.S. average of approximately 15.7:1
student-teacher ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE classroom teachers against total enrollment, push-in specialists, English-language aides, special-education co-teachers, and counselors are not included in most reporting Variation between sub-units within Bellingham is typically wider than the Bellingham-aggregate figure suggests.
Most racially and ethnically mixed schools in Bellingham
Ranked by the Simpson student-body diversity index (0-100) from NCES race and ethnicity data, where higher means a more evenly mixed student body. It measures mix, not quality.
The highest-ranked school in Bellingham is Squalicum High School with a quality score of 46/100. There are 30 public schools in Bellingham with 11,814 total students.
How many schools are in Bellingham, WA? ▼
Bellingham has 30 public schools with a total enrollment of 11,814 students. 1 are charter schools. Average student-teacher ratio: 16.4:1.
Data from NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 and Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22. Quality scores based on student-teacher ratio,
counselor access, gifted programs, and attendance. Schools must have 5+ in the city to be listed.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology, which explains how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
