Original Research by School Decision on Cheney Open Doors
Cheney Open Doors is an alternative school within the Cheney School District, serving grades seven through twelve. The school is located in Cheney, a small college town dominated by Eastern Washington University. The university, along with Fairchild Air Force Base and the healthcare and agriculture sectors, shapes the local economy and community identity. The town’s character is rooted in its railroad origins and its subsequent transformation into a college town, with the university and the public schools serving as civic anchors.
This is a very small alternative school. The enrollment is tiny, with students concentrated in the upper high school grades. The student body is composed of a mix of racial and ethnic backgrounds, with no single group forming a large majority. Because of the school’s size and its classification as an alternative school, readers should not expect to find the same profile of data as would be available for a comprehensive middle or high school. State testing data was not available, and no graduation rate was reported. A parent looking to understand academic performance will need to ask the school directly about how student progress is measured and what outcomes its graduates achieve.
The school serves a specific purpose within the district, offering an alternative pathway for students in grades seven through twelve. Given the enrollment pattern, it appears to function primarily as a setting for older high school students. The enrollment is far too small to draw meaningful conclusions about the broader student experience, such as the range of course offerings or extracurricular activities. Any parent considering this school should contact the school directly to learn about the specific program, the curriculum, and the support services available, especially in light of the absence of conventional metrics like test scores and graduation rates.
The district overall covers a mix of the university town and the surrounding area. The local housing market shows home values and rents that are in line with or slightly below national and state benchmarks, reflecting a moderately affordable market for the region. The town’s population has seen a modest decline in recent estimates, which may influence long-term enrollment trends, though this school’s small size makes it less exposed to such shifts than larger schools in the district.
See more original research from School Decision →