Original Research by School Decision on Intergenerational High School
Intergenerational High School is a single-school public charter district in Whatcom County, Washington, serving grades nine through twelve. It opened in fall 2021, making it a relatively new option for families in the region. As an independent charter district, it operates outside the boundaries of any traditional local school district, giving students across the county a tuition-free high school choice where one did not exist before.
The student body is small, reflecting the school’s early stage and focused design. Its composition is racially and ethnically varied: a plurality of students are white, roughly a fifth are Hispanic, with smaller shares of Black students, students of two or more races, Asian students, and American Indian or Alaska Native students. Data on economic disadvantage, students with disabilities, and English learners were not reported, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the support services available for these groups.
Academically, the picture is mixed and limited. For the most recent year with reported data, about a third of students met proficiency standards in English language arts. In science, all tested students were proficient, though that figure may reflect a very small group. No math proficiency data was reported for the district; the state suppressed the results, likely because the number of test-takers was too small to report publicly. There are no multiple-year trends to speak of, as the school has only been operating for a few years. Because the school serves high school grades, state testing results are available only for the grades tested, but a graduation rate—another common high school metric—was not included in the data provided. A parent interested in how many students complete a diploma within four years would need to seek that information from the school.
One area that stands out sharply is chronic absenteeism. The share of students who are chronically absent—missing a substantial portion of the school year—is very high, well above the typical range among Whatcom County’s districts. This is a notable signal. While chronic absenteeism can stem from many factors, including student illness, family responsibilities, or disengagement, a rate at this level is something a prospective family would want to discuss with the school to understand what supports are in place and what the daily attendance culture looks like.
Spending per student is a different story. The district’s per-pupil current expenditure is well above what most other districts in Whatcom County spend. This likely reflects the small scale and the costs of operating an independent charter school, but it may also indicate investment in the school’s distinctive programs.
The school’s publicly described pedagogical model is its clearest differentiator. It combines phenomenon-based learning, where students explore real-world questions across subjects, with intergenerational learning that pairs students with elders in the community, and culturally integrated education. This approach is not available at other area public high schools and appears to be a deliberate design choice. For families seeking an alternative to conventional high school coursework and a strong community-connected mission, this could be a draw. For others looking for a more traditional academic track with broad course offerings, the school’s small size and limited data on course access mean they may want to ask what advanced, dual-credit, or career-pathway options exist.
In sum, Intergenerational High School is a small, young charter high school with a creative educational vision but a thin record of conventional academic metrics. Its high chronic absenteeism and modest ELA proficiency are areas worth probing. Its unusually high per-pupil spending and low enrollment raise questions about sustainability and breadth of programming that a family would want to explore directly with the school. It fits a family actively seeking a nontraditional, community-rooted model and willing to engage closely with a fledgling institution. For those who rely on standard measures of school performance or want a full menu of high school pathways, this school may feel like an unknown quantity. The data simply does not provide enough to say more.
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