📊 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 →
All 18 Rated Districts in King County, WA
Sorted by rating, then state percentile
| County 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 | Tahoma School District | Maple Valley | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #7 | Shoreline School District | Shoreline | 10/10 Excellent | 92nd |
| #8 | Seattle Public Schools | Seattle | 10/10 Excellent | 91st |
| #9 | Vashon Island School District | Vashon | 9/10 Excellent | 89th |
| #10 | Riverview School District | Duvall | 9/10 Excellent | 87th |
| #11 | Enumclaw School District | Enumclaw | 8/10 Good | 77th |
| #12 | Renton School District | Renton | 6/10 Average | 54th |
| #13 | Kent School District | Kent | 5/10 Average | 42nd |
| #14 | Auburn School District | Auburn | 4/10 Below Average | 38th |
| #15 | Federal Way School District | Federal Way | 2/10 Poor | 18th |
| #16 | Highline School District | Burien | 2/10 Poor | 16th |
| #17 | Skykomish School District | Skykomish | 2/10 Poor | 15th |
| #18 | Tukwila School District | Tukwila | 2/10 Poor | 11th |
Best School Districts in King County, Washington (2026)
This page lists the 18 public school districts headquartered in King County, Washington that have a SchoolDistrictFinder rating, scored using SBAC 2024–25 state assessment data. The county rank is simply their order here; the state percentile compares each district with every rated district in Washington, which is how the 1–10 rating is set. Ratings are not comparable with districts in other states.
Districts are placed in the county of their NCES directory listing. A district's boundaries can cross county lines, and a home in King County may be served by a district headquartered next door — search your address or zip code to confirm.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best-rated school district in King County, Washington? ▼
Among the 18 rated districts in King County, Washington, 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 (SBAC 2024–25), percentile-ranked against all rated districts in Washington and converted to a 1–10 scale. Full methodology here.