Highline Public Schools
Listed by NCES as Highline School District (district ID 5303540)
Public school district · King County · Washington · NCES district ID 5303540
Highline Public Schools spent $20,594 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, more than 97% of the other Washington districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 (median $17,250). Its 36 schools enrolled 18,072 students in 2024-25; 58.8% of its revenue came from the state. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $21,280 per student, up 3.3% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year). Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 79% (Washington: 83.8%).
NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 · Census Bureau school finances 2023-24 · NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · method
Spending per student among Washington districts of similar size
Current spending per student excludes construction and debt. The 9 districts closest to Highline Public Schools in enrollment (15,230 to 20,459 students) and Highline Public Schools itself.
Where the money came from
$443,854,000 in revenue: 58.8% state, 28.3% local and 13.0% federal. Total spending including $38,394,000 of capital outlay was $428,971,000, or $23,768 per student; the figure above leaves capital out.
- State$260,861,000 59%
- Local$125,472,000 28%
- Federal$57,521,000 13%
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures for elementary and secondary education divided by fall membership; the state median covers 150 districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022. Revenue by source (TOTALREV, TFEDREV, TSTREV, TLOCREV).
Enrollment held steady from 2022-23 to 2024-25
18,048 students in 2022-23, 17,823 students in 2023-24, 18,072 students in 2024-25, counted across the schools that reported each year.
Teachers and students per teacher
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 18,048 | 991.1 | 18.2 |
| 2023-24 | 17,823 | 1008.7 | 17.7 |
| 2024-25 | 18,072 | 993.4 | 18.2 |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25; sums over the schools reporting each year.
$108,848,000 in teacher salaries in fiscal year 2022-23, $6,031 per student
Highline Public Schools booked $108,848,000 of teacher salaries in its 2022-23 finance report and counted 1,010 full-time teachers in its Common Core of Data district staff file for 2022-23 (the school files behind the staffing figures on this page count teachers separately, so the two can differ), or $107,741 of salary spending per teacher. That is more than 93 in 100 Washington districts with a figure (state median $84,529, 290 districts). It is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, so the result can differ widely from the average salary the district publishes (its salary schedule gives pay); benefits are left out, and states book salaries differently, so compare districts within one state. For pay, the National Education Association put the average Washington teacher salary at $81,586 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).
| Program | Teacher salaries | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Regular programs | $75,834,000 | 69.7% |
| Special education | $14,427,000 | 13.3% |
| Vocational | $6,418,000 | 5.9% |
| Other programs | $12,169,000 | 11.2% |
Teacher salaries per student, fiscal years 2018-19 to 2022-23
The district's teacher salary bill divided by its fall enrollment each year: $5,129 in 2018-19, $5,335 in 2019-20, $5,545 in 2020-21, $5,490 in 2021-22, $6,031 in 2022-23.
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal years 2019 to 2023: teacher salaries in regular, special, vocational and other programs (Z35 to Z38) and fall membership (V33); NCES Common Core of Data LEA staff file 2022-23, teachers (full-time equivalent).
State test results, 2021-22
In 2021-22, the students tested in Highline Public Schools scored proficient or above: 37% in reading and 23% in math, against 53.4% in reading and 41% in math across Washington. Each state writes its own test and sets its own proficiency bar, so compare these within Washington, not across states. Where a state published results by grade only, the grades tested are combined, weighted by the students tested in each.
| Subject | This district | Washington | Students tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and language arts | 37% | 53.4% | 8,389 |
| Math | 23% | 41% | 7,253 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2021-22, all students, from ED Data Express (the Data Rescue Project archive; ED has no 2022-23 result for this district): ED shows district results as ranges (for example 20-24%) to protect small groups.
Graduation rate, class of 2023
79% of the 1,496 students in Highline Public Schools' class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 83.8% across Washington. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out, and counts those who earned a regular diploma by 2023. Every state computes it the same way under federal law, though each sets its own diploma requirements.
| This district | Washington | |
|---|---|---|
| Four-year graduation rate | 79% | 83.8% |
| Students in the class | 1,496 | 85,003 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students, from ED Data Express: ED shows district rates as ranges (for example 90-94%) and leaves out small classes.
17 elementary schools, 8,036 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midway Elementary | 548 | 17.8 | 69.3% | Schoolwide program |
| Parkside Elementary | 535 | 18.8 | 71.8% | Schoolwide program |
| Marvista Elementary | 532 | 16.0 | 34.6% | Targeted program |
| White Center Heights Elementary | 527 | 18.2 | 63.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Bow Lake Elementary | 524 | 15.8 | 65.6% | Schoolwide program |
| Hilltop Elementary | 519 | 17.9 | 65.5% | Schoolwide program |
| North Hill Elementary | 518 | 16.7 | 34.7% | Schoolwide program |
| Des Moines Elementary | 500 | 15.7 | 51.8% | Schoolwide program |
| Gregory Heights Elementary | 488 | 16.4 | 42.4% | Schoolwide program |
| McMicken Heights Elementary | 484 | 15.0 | 64.3% | Schoolwide program |
| Hazel Valley Elementary | 469 | 15.8 | 57.8% | Schoolwide program |
| Mount View Elementary | 460 | 17.8 | 53.5% | Schoolwide program |
The other 5 elementary schools
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beverly Park Elem at Glendale | 411 | 17.1 | 66.9% | Schoolwide program |
| Seahurst Elementary School | 405 | 18.4 | 63.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Shorewood Elementary | 400 | 16.0 | 50.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Cedarhurst Elementary | 399 | 18.9 | 59.4% | Schoolwide program |
| Madrona Elementary | 317 | 15.8 | 65.9% | Schoolwide program |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
5 middle schools, 3,280 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glacier Middle School | 803 | 22.7 | 62.5% | Schoolwide program |
| Cascade Middle School | 671 | 16.9 | 61.3% | Schoolwide program |
| Chinook Middle School | 620 | 17.4 | 59.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Pacific Middle School | 604 | 18.5 | 65.4% | Schoolwide program |
| Sylvester Middle School | 582 | 19.3 | 41.2% | Schoolwide program |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
11 high schools, 6,313 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Rainier High School | 1,846 | 24.0 | 49.3% | Schoolwide program |
| Highline High School | 1,423 | 21.5 | 55.4% | Schoolwide program |
| Evergreen High School | 1,080 | 20.5 | 62.8% | Schoolwide program |
| Tyee High School | 644 | 18.6 | 62.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Raisbeck Aviation High School | 400 | 20.2 | 24.3% | Not Title I |
| Highline Open Doors 1418 | 240 | 34.1 | 44.6% | Not Title I |
| Big Picture School | 233 | 14.0 | 37.8% | Schoolwide program |
| CHOICE Academy | 176 | 20.5 | 34.7% | Targeted program |
| New Start | 142 | 15.5 | 69.7% | Schoolwide program |
| Maritime High School | 126 | 15.4 | 31.0% | Not Title I |
| Puget Sound Skills Center | 3 | 0.1 | All free (CEP) | Not Title I |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
3 other schools, 443 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valley View Early Childhood Center | 225 | 37.5 | 83.1% | Not Title I |
| Highline Public Schools Virtual Academy | 208 | 16.1 | 54.8% | Not Title I |
| Highline Home School Center | 10 | not reported | 30.0% | Not Title I |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
Contact Highline Public Schools
- Website: highlineschools.org
- Phone: (206) 631-3000
- Office: 15675 Ambaum Blvd Sw, Burien, WA 98166
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, local education agency directory 2024-25. Enrollment, boundaries and school assignment are the district's to confirm.
What to look at next about Highline Public Schools
- Washington districts by spending per studentHighline Public Schools ranks 5 of 150 Washington districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 on current spending per student in fiscal year 2022-23 ($20,594).#5 of 150
- Every school district in WashingtonHighline Public Schools is the number 18 by size of 323 Washington districts, with 18,048 students in fall 2022 (F-33).#18 of 323
- Pasco School DistrictThe next larger Washington district: 18,515 students in fall 2022, $17,151 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$17,151
- Auburn School DistrictThe next smaller Washington district: 17,857 students in fall 2022, $18,620 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$18,620
- Compare Highline Public Schools with Pasco School DistrictEnrollment, spending, revenue sources and schools, side by side.
- Mount Rainier High School, its largest high school1,846 students in 2024-25, 24.0 per teacher.1,846
- Teacher salary spending across WashingtonHighline Public Schools spent $107,741 in salaries per full-time teacher in fiscal year 2022-23 (state median $84,529); spending, not a salary.$107,741
- Find the school district for an addressA home's district decides which public schools it can enroll in.
Source: NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 (spending per student and fall 2022 membership; ranks among the state's districts that reported them); NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (schools).
Questions about Highline Public Schools
How many schools and students are in Highline Public Schools?
36 schools were open in 2024-25 (17 elementary, 5 middle, 11 high, 3 other), enrolling 18,072 students, according to the NCES Common Core of Data.How much does Highline Public Schools spend per student?
$20,594 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), which leaves out construction and debt; the Washington median for districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 is $17,250 and the U.S. figure is $16,260. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $21,280 per student, up 3.3% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).Where does Highline Public Schools' money come from?
$443,854,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2022-23: 58.8% state, 28.3% local and 13.0% federal (NCES F-33).How many children in Highline Public Schools live in poverty?
The Census Bureau estimates that 3,449 of the 20,421 children aged 5 to 17 living within the district's boundaries in 2024, 16.9%, were in families in poverty (Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). It is a model-based estimate for everyone living in the district, not a count of its students; the free-meal shares in the school tables are counts of enrolled students.How much does Highline Public Schools spend on teacher salaries?
$108,848,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), or $6,031 per student. Divided by the 1,010 full-time teachers in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2022-23 that is $107,741 per teacher, more than 93 in 100 Washington districts (state median $84,529). That is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, and the result can differ widely from the average salary a district publishes. The district's salary schedule gives pay. For pay, the National Education Association put the average Washington teacher salary at $81,586 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).How do students in Highline Public Schools do on state tests?
In 2021-22, the students tested in Highline Public Schools scored proficient or above: 37% in reading and 23% in math, against 53.4% in reading and 41% in math across Washington. Washington's own test sets what proficient means, so results compare within the state, not across states. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22.What is the graduation rate in Highline Public Schools?
79% of the 1,496 students in Highline Public Schools' class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 83.8% across Washington. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23.What is Highline Public Schools' NCES district ID?
5303540. Each of its schools' 12-digit NCES IDs begins with these seven digits.
Reading these figures: how to choose a school district, what Title I means and what an absenteeism rate means. They are for information and are not a substitute for the school's or district's own records.
Sources
Every federal file behind this record
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25: directory, membership, staff and lunch files. nces.ed.gov
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2021-22 school characteristics: Title I status. nces.ed.gov
- Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021-22: AP courses, gifted programs, counselors, discipline. civilrightsdata.ed.gov
- EDFacts, 2022-23: chronic absenteeism. ed.gov
- EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23: the class of 2023 for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22: reading and math proficiency for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- NCES Digest of Education Statistics, table 211.60 (2021-22): the state's average teacher salary, from the National Education Association. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024: children aged 5 to 17 and those in families in poverty, by school district. census.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2023-24: per pupil current spending for 2023-24 and 2022-23. census.gov
- NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, fiscal year 2022-23: district spending and revenue. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau geocoder and TIGER school districts: the district boundary used by the district finder. census.gov
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances Per pupil current spending by school system · FY 2023-24
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey Revenue and expenditures by district · FY 2022-23
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership, staff and lunch files · 2024-25