Original Research by School Decision on University High School
University High School is a large comprehensive public high school in Spokane Valley, serving grades nine through twelve as part of the Central Valley School District. The school sits in a suburban city that formed from a collection of formerly unincorporated communities east of Spokane. Spokane Valley has no traditional downtown core; civic and commercial life is centered along major corridors like Sprague Avenue and around nodes such as the Spokane Valley Mall, Avista Stadium, and the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center. The city is auto-oriented, with a network of roads and trails including sections of the Centennial Trail along the Spokane River. It is a growing city, with a population that has been rising steadily over the past decade.
The student body at University High is predominantly white, with small shares of students identifying as Hispanic, Black, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, American Indian or Alaska Native, or two or more races. Nearly half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a middle-income to lower-middle-income population. The school enrolls a sizeable student body, typical of a large suburban high school. The district as a whole operates more than thirty schools and recently passed a replacement Educational Programs and Operations levy that funds maintenance and operational costs but does not allocate money for new construction. That levy makes up a portion of the district’s local funding and has an impact on property taxes for residents.
State assessment results are available for the most recent school year, giving a snapshot of academic performance across tested subjects. In English language arts, the proficiency rate was above average for a high school, indicating that a majority of students met the state standard. In mathematics, proficiency was lower, with a sizable share of students not reaching the state benchmark. Science results fell somewhere in between, with a moderate proficiency rate. Because only one year of data was reported, there is no way to see a trend; a parent may want to ask the school how these results have changed over time and what steps are being taken in math instruction. No data was available on the school’s graduation rate, chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing. A family interested in those areas would need to inquire directly with the school or the district. Similarly, no specific program offerings—such as Advanced Placement, career and technical education, or dual credit—were reported, so it is not possible to describe the breadth of the academic pathway options here based on the available information.
The school’s setting in Spokane Valley means that students come from a mix of residential neighborhoods, some older and some newer, with housing values in the area below the state median. Rents are moderate relative to household incomes. The city’s parks, trails, and community centers provide recreational opportunities, and the Spokane Transit Authority offers public bus service. The Central Valley School District boundary covers a wide area, and University High draws from the more developed eastern portion of the district.
University High School offers a large, comprehensive high school experience in a suburban environment that is growing and auto-dependent. The academic picture shows a school where English language arts is a relative strength, math is a softer spot, and science is middling. A family considering this school will want to explore the specific courses and supports available, particularly in mathematics, and confirm what pathways exist for college and career preparation, since that information was not provided in the data reviewed.
See more original research from School Decision →