Public schools in Bellingham, WA
33 open public schools with an address in Bellingham, operated by 6 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
33
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
12,539
33 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
17:1
Washington median 16.7:1
Charter schools
1
0 virtual
An overview of Bellingham public schools
The federal directory lists 33 public schools in Bellingham, WA: 16 elementary, 4 middle, 11 high, 2 combined or other. The 33 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 12,539 students, an average of 380 per school. The largest campus is Squalicum High School (1,273 students), and the largest elementary school is Happy Valley Elementary School (455).
Bellingham School District operates the most schools here (25), and 4 regular districts have at least one Bellingham campus, plus 2 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 17:1, similar to the statewide school median of 16.7:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 1 charter school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 9 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 4 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 3 of 10 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 40% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Bellingham
Bellingham School District
Public school district
25 schools in Bellingham
Meridian School District
Public school district
4 schools in Bellingham · 6 total
Blaine School District
Public school district
1 school in Bellingham · 7 total
Intergenerational High School
Independent charter agency
1 school in Bellingham
Mount Baker School District
Public school district
1 school in Bellingham · 7 total
Northwest Educational Service District 189
Other local education agency
1 school in Bellingham · 5 total
Elementary schools in Bellingham
16| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alderwood Elementary School Bellingham School District | PK–05 | 305 | 14.1:1 | |
| Birchwood Elementary School Bellingham School District | PK–05 | 335 | 14:1 | |
| Carl Cozier Elementary School Bellingham School District | PK–05 | 325 | 14.4:1 | |
| Columbia Elementary School Bellingham School District | PK–05 | 187 | 17:1 | |
| Cordata Elementary School Bellingham School District | PK–05 | 357 | 12.5:1 | |
| Geneva Elementary School Bellingham School District | PK–05 | 412 | 18.2:1 | |
| Happy Valley Elementary School Bellingham School District | PK–05 | 455 | 17.6:1 | |
| Harmony Elementary Mount Baker School District | KG–06 | 288 | 14.9:1 | |
| Lowell Elementary School Bellingham School District | PK–05 | 338 | 17.3:1 | |
| Meridian Parent Partnership Program Meridian School District · Alternative School | KG–08 | 208 | 26.3:1 | |
| Northern Heights Elementary Schl Bellingham School District | PK–05 | 396 | 15.6:1 | |
| Parkview Elementary School Bellingham School District | PK–05 | 422 | 16.7:1 | |
| Roosevelt Elementary School Bellingham School District | PK–05 | 348 | 14.3:1 | |
| Silver Beach Elementary School Bellingham School District | PK–05 | 357 | 20.3:1 | |
| Sunnyland Elementary School Bellingham School District | PK–05 | 288 | 14.5:1 | |
| Wade King Elementary School Bellingham School District | PK–05 | 297 | 16.4:1 |
Middle schools in Bellingham
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairhaven Middle School Bellingham School District | 06–08 | 588 | 18.1:1 | |
| Kulshan Middle School Bellingham School District | 06–08 | 575 | 17.6:1 | |
| Shuksan Middle School Bellingham School District | 06–08 | 606 | 16.8:1 | |
| Whatcom Middle School Bellingham School District | 06–08 | 637 | 18.5:1 |
High schools in Bellingham
11| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham High School Bellingham School District | 09–12 | 1,165 | 21.3:1 | |
| Bellingham Re-Engagement Program Bellingham School District · Alternative School | 09–12 | 110 | — | |
| Blaine Re-Engagement Blaine School District · Alternative School | 10–12 | 14 | — | |
| Intergenerational High School Intergenerational High School · Charter | 09–12 | 107 | 13.4:1 | |
| Meridian High School Meridian School District | 09–12 | 534 | 20.7:1 | |
| Meridian Impact Re-Engagement Meridian School District · Alternative School | 09–12 | 21 | — | |
| Options High School Bellingham School District · Alternative School | 09–12 | 176 | 8.6:1 | |
| Sehome High School Bellingham School District | 09–12 | 1,116 | 21.8:1 | |
| Squalicum High School Bellingham School District | 09–12 | 1,273 | 21.1:1 | |
| Visions (Seamar Youth Center) Bellingham School District · Alternative School | 06–12 | 11 | — | |
| Whatcom Co Detention Center Northwest Educational Service District 189 | 08–12 | 4 | — |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Bellingham
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham Family Partnership Program Bellingham School District · Alternative School | KG–12 | 258 | 26.1:1 | |
| Meridian Special Programs Meridian School District · Special Education School | PK–PK | 26 | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White63.4%
- Hispanic19.9%
- Black1.4%
- Asian4.6%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.9%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.3%
- Multiracial8.6%
Enrollment-weighted across 33 Bellingham schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (12,539 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Bellingham
How many public schools are in Bellingham, WA?
The current NCES directory lists 33 open public schools with a location address in Bellingham: 16 elementary, 4 middle, 11 high, 2 combined or other. Together they reported 12,539 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Bellingham?
Schools with an address in Bellingham belong to 6 education agencies, led by Bellingham School District (25 schools), Meridian School District (4 schools), Blaine School District (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Bellingham?
Squalicum High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Bellingham, with 1,273 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Bellingham?
Yes. 1 of the 33 public schools in Bellingham are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Intergenerational High School. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Bellingham schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Bellingham public schools is 17:1, similar to the Washington school median of 16.7:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Bellingham guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Washington cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Washington cities