The top reported proficiency rate is 29% in Science. The lowest is 15% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Cascade Public Schools
Cascade Public Schools is the sole high school operated by Why Not You Academy, a Washington charter school district that opened in Des Moines in 2021. This is a small high school, serving grades nine through twelve in a mid-sized suburban waterfront city on Puget Sound, midway between Seattle and Tacoma. Before considering any other attribute, a family must understand that the school faces a documented financial crisis. The state auditor’s FY2024 audit of the district raised substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern, citing recurring operating losses, depleted cash reserves, and significant lease and debt obligations. The audit stated explicitly that if enrollment growth and fundraising do not produce a viable path, the school may close before the 2025-26 school year. This is not a hypothetical; it is a current, publicly reported condition that shapes every other aspect of the school’s present reality.
The student body is predominantly Black, with a substantial share identifying as Black or African American. Hispanic students form the next largest group, followed by smaller shares of Asian, white, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is very low relative to most public schools, which is noteworthy for a school that serves a primarily residential city with housing across income levels. State testing data, reported for the 2020-21 school year, shows proficiency rates that fall well below the midpoint among districts in King County, placing the school in the bottom quartile of the county’s school districts for overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. In math, about one in seven students scored proficient or above. In science, just over a quarter of students reached that level. The school’s overall proficiency index ranks as the lowest among the comparison group used. A parent should note that this testing data is several years old and reflects the school’s early operating period, during the pandemic.
Because the school currently serves only grades nine through eleven, with no twelfth-grade enrollment reported, a graduation rate is not yet available. The school’s charter status means it operates independently of the local traditional district, Highline Public Schools, though it is physically located in Des Moines. The campus sits on Pacific Highway South, a major arterial, in a city where walkable street life is concentrated near the marina and waterfront, not at this location. The city itself is primarily suburban residential, with several regional highways bisecting it, and is served by King County Metro bus service. A new light rail station near Highline College is planned to open in 2026, which could improve transit access for some families.
Program offerings, discipline data, staffing ratios, and chronic absenteeism information were not available in the data provided. The school’s enrollment of roughly two hundred students makes it very small for a high school, which may appeal to families seeking a close-knit environment but also raises the enrollment risk flagged in the audit. The district’s financial vulnerability means that any family considering this school should seek the most current information about its operational status and future plans directly from the school or the charter authorizer before making an enrollment decision.
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