Richland School District, WA

Original Research by School Decision on Richland School District

Richland School District is a mid-sized to large public school system in Benton County, Washington, serving students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. It operates roughly two dozen schools, including a mix of elementary, middle, and high schools, plus an early learning center and a few specialized settings such as a home-link program and an online academy. The district’s student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic population and smaller shares of Asian, Black, and multiracial students. Because the data does not include counts for students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch or those receiving special education or English-learner services, a family interested in those support structures will need to ask the district directly for specifics.

On state assessments, the district’s performance sits in the top quartile among Benton County’s districts when measured by overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. That is a clear strength. In English language arts, a majority of students in each tested grade from third through eighth score at or above the proficient level, with fifth graders hitting the highest mark. In math, the picture is more mixed. Third graders show a solid majority proficient, but the rate drops across the upper elementary and middle school grades, with eighth graders falling below the majority mark. Science results follow a similar pattern: fifth graders post a strong proficient rate, but eighth graders come in below that. A parent may want to look into this further with the school, particularly the math trend, to understand what supports are in place for older students.

The district’s chronic absenteeism rate, at about three in ten students, is above the midpoint among county districts. That is a softer area and one worth discussing with school staff, though context matters: the rate may be influenced by the district’s size and the mix of schools it encompasses.

Richland’s per-pupil spending falls in the lower range among Benton County’s districts. Without knowing exactly how those dollars are allocated across programs, class sizes, or building maintenance, a family might ask about how the district prioritizes its budget. The housing context shows that home values in the broader area are at a moderate level relative to national benchmarks, and rents vary across the district’s zip codes. The district draws from several communities, including Richland and West Richland, which tend to have higher home values in the mix, as well as areas with more modest housing costs. This means the district’s attendance zones may offer different neighborhood environments.

The district’s graduation rate data was not available, so that metric cannot be evaluated here. A family considering high school options should request that information from the district or the individual high schools. The district’s profile is otherwise steady: a search for recent significant changes such as bond measures, curriculum overhauls, or referendum results turned up no developments that would materially shift a family’s decision in the near term.

For a family weighing Richland School District, the academic story is one of above-average overall performance with a notable drop-off in middle school math proficiency. The district offers a broad set of school types, including a choice-oriented home-link program and an online academy, which gives families some flexibility in how their child learns. The chronic absenteeism rate is a soft spot worth probing. The district’s size means that the experience can vary from school to school, so visiting individual buildings and talking to principals about their particular approach to math instruction and student engagement would be a practical next step.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

14,305

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 23%

Black 1%

White 66%

Asian 4%

Two+ 6%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

47%

66%

Gr 4

32%

67%

Gr 5

51%

74%

Gr 6

41%

66%

Gr 7

39%

70%

Gr 8

31%

65%

Math

Gr 3

46%

67%

Gr 4

30%

64%

Gr 5

35%

62%

Gr 6

32%

54%

Gr 7

26%

57%

Gr 8

20%

48%

Science

Gr 5

47%

74%

Gr 8

28%

61%

Schools in this District

23 schools are officially reported under this district.

Badger Mountain Elementary

Carmichael Middle School

Richland High School

Hanford High School

Jason Lee Elementary School

Jefferson Elementary

Lewis & Clark Elementary School

Marcus Whitman Elementary

Sacajawea Elementary

Tapteal Elementary School

Chief Joseph Middle School

Rivers Edge High School

Enterprise Middle School

William Wiley Elementary School

Twin Rivers Group Home

Special Programs

White Bluffs Elementary School

Three Rivers Home Link

Orchard Elementary

Leona Libby Middle School

Richland School District Early Learning Center

Pacific Crest Online Academy

Desert Sky Elementary

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

59%

Grade 3

50%

Grade 4

52%

Grade 5

44%

Grade 6

46%

Grade 7

38%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

58%

Grade 3

53%

Grade 4

65%

Grade 5

55%

Grade 6

59%

Grade 7

52%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

63%

Grade 5

49%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$358,631

Year-over-year change+2.1%

Range across 7 ZIP codes$326K to $561K

vs. state typical0.59x

vs. national typical0.97x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (7 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
98944	Sunnyside	$326K	+2.9%	75.5%
99320	Benton City	$431K	-0.5%	8.7%
99353	West Richland	$498K	-0.3%	5.7%
99354	Richland	$422K	+0.5%	5.3%
99352	Richland	$503K	+0.1%	4.7%
99338	Kennewick	$561K	-0.1%	0.1%
99336	Kennewick	$372K	+0.6%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,774/mo

Year-over-year change+1.4%

Range across 5 ZIP codes$1,513 to $1,994/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
99353	West Richland	$1,994	—	5.7%
99354	Richland	$1,513	+1.1%	5.3%
99352	Richland	$1,809	+1.6%	4.7%
99338	Kennewick	$1,754	—	0.1%
99336	Kennewick	$1,547	+3.9%	0.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,810/mo

Home price / national median income4.3x

Annual rent / national median income25.4%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$35/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$604,087 (-0.6% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.