📊 What this ranking measures
Rankings are based on academic achievement — the share of students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments (SBAC 2024–25), ranked against other districts in the same state — not on spending, district size, or staffing. See full methodology →
48 Rated Districts in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
SBAC 2024–25 · percentile among Washington districts
| Metro Rank | District | District Office | Rating | State Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Issaquah School District | Issaquah | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #2 | Lake Washington School District | Redmond | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #3 | Mercer Island School District | Mercer Island | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #4 | Bellevue School District | Bellevue | 10/10 Excellent | 98th |
| #5 | Snoqualmie Valley School District | Snoqualmie | 10/10 Excellent | 98th |
| #6 | Northshore School District | Bothell | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #7 | Tahoma School District | Maple Valley | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #8 | University Place School District | University Place | 10/10 Excellent | 96th |
| #9 | Dieringer School District | Lake Tapps | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #10 | Sumner School District | Sumner | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #11 | Carbonado School District | Carbonado | 10/10 Excellent | 94th |
| #12 | Peninsula School District | Gig Harbor | 10/10 Excellent | 92nd |
| #13 | Shoreline School District | Shoreline | 10/10 Excellent | 92nd |
| #14 | Seattle Public Schools | Seattle | 10/10 Excellent | 91st |
| #15 | Everett School District | Everett | 10/10 Excellent | 90th |
| #16 | Vashon Island School District | Vashon | 9/10 Excellent | 89th |
| #17 | Lake Stevens School District | Lake Stevens | 9/10 Excellent | 87th |
| #18 | Riverview School District | Duvall | 9/10 Excellent | 87th |
| #19 | White River School District | Buckley | 9/10 Excellent | 86th |
| #20 | Snohomish School District | Snohomish | 9/10 Excellent | 85th |
| #21 | Steilacoom Historical School District | Steilacoom | 9/10 Excellent | 82nd |
| #22 | Enumclaw School District | Enumclaw | 8/10 Good | 77th |
| #23 | Edmonds School District | Lynnwood | 8/10 Good | 75th |
| #24 | Monroe School District | Monroe | 8/10 Good | 72nd |
| #25 | Puyallup School District | Puyallup | 8/10 Good | 71st |
| #26 | Stanwood-Camano School District | Stanwood | 7/10 Good | 65th |
| #27 | Sultan School District | Sultan | 7/10 Good | 63rd |
| #28 | Mukilteo School District | Everett | 6/10 Average | 59th |
| #29 | Arlington School District | Arlington | 6/10 Average | 56th |
| #30 | Renton School District | Renton | 6/10 Average | 54th |
| #31 | Bethel School District | Spanaway | 6/10 Average | 53rd |
| #32 | Fife Public Schools | Milton | 6/10 Average | 50th |
| #33 | Eatonville School District | Eatonville | 5/10 Average | 49th |
| #34 | Orting School District | Orting | 5/10 Average | 45th |
| #35 | Kent School District | Kent | 5/10 Average | 42nd |
| #36 | Tacoma Public Schools | Tacoma | 4/10 Below Average | 39th |
| #37 | Auburn School District | Auburn | 4/10 Below Average | 38th |
| #38 | Clover Park School District | Lakewood | 3/10 Below Average | 29th |
| #39 | Granite Falls School District | Granite Falls | 3/10 Below Average | 27th |
| #40 | Lakewood School District | North Lakewood | 3/10 Below Average | 23rd |
| #41 | Marysville School District | Marysville | 3/10 Below Average | 23rd |
| #42 | Franklin Pierce School District | Tacoma | 3/10 Below Average | 22nd |
| #43 | Federal Way School District | Federal Way | 2/10 Poor | 18th |
| #44 | Highline School District | Burien | 2/10 Poor | 16th |
| #45 | Index School District | Index | 2/10 Poor | 16th |
| #46 | Darrington School District | Darrington | 2/10 Poor | 15th |
| #47 | Skykomish School District | Skykomish | 2/10 Poor | 15th |
| #48 | Tukwila School District | Tukwila | 2/10 Poor | 11th |
Best School Districts in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area (2026)
Counties are assigned to metropolitan areas using the U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 delineation, and each district is placed in the county of its NCES directory listing. Ratings come from SBAC 2024–25 (Washington) and are percentile-ranked within the district's own state. Always confirm your assignment by address.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best-rated school district in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area? ▼
Among the 48 rated districts in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area, 3 share the top position at 10/10 (Excellent), 99th percentile of Washington districts on SBAC 2024–25 reading and math proficiency: Issaquah School District (Issaquah); Lake Washington School District (Redmond); Mercer Island School District (Mercer Island).
How are these rankings calculated? ▼
Each district's rating comes from the share of its students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments, percentile-ranked against all rated districts in its state and converted to a 1–10 scale. Full methodology here.