The top reported proficiency rate is 48% in English language arts. The lowest is 30% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Colfax High School
Colfax High School is a regular public school serving grades seven through twelve in the small Whitman County seat of Colfax, a community set in the wheat-covered hills of the Palouse region. The school sits on North Morton Street within the town fabric, not on a separate campus, and the Colfax School District is one of the major local employers alongside the county hospital and county government. The town’s population has been essentially flat for decades, and its historic downtown and agrarian economy anchor a stable, slow-changing environment.
State assessment data is available only for the middle-school grades within this seven-through-twelve school. In math, grade seven proficiency was roughly half of students meeting the bar, while grade eight proficiency was lower, with under two-fifths reaching that level. In English language arts, grade seven saw about half of students proficient, and grade eight came in below half. Science results for grade eight showed just over a quarter of students proficient. When combining all tested subjects and grades into an overall index, the school’s proficiency level sits below the midpoint relative to districts in Whitman County. No graduation rate data was reported, so families should seek that information directly from the school. Because the testing data covers only grades seven and eight, the picture of academic performance in the high school grades—where state tests are not given at every grade level in Washington—is less complete here than it would be for a school that serves only tested grades.
The student body is small, with total enrollment in the low hundreds spread across six grade levels, meaning each grade has a modest number of students. The population is overwhelmingly white, with a small Hispanic share, and smaller numbers of students who are two or more races, Black, Native American, or Asian. About one in three students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a moderate level of economic need. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school about those populations and supports.
Colfax is a county seat with a mix of civic institutions, a downtown historic district, a three-mile rail-trail, and events like the Palouse Empire Fair. The local economy rests on agriculture, the hospital, the school district, and county government. Washington State University in nearby Pullman is the largest employer in the county overall, though not in Colfax itself. Housing values in the area are below the state median, and rents are moderate relative to incomes, making the community relatively affordable compared to many Washington towns.
No recent major changes or initiatives were identified for the Colfax School District, and the town’s development trajectory appears stable, with little population growth or large-scale construction. For a family considering this school, the key points are a small, predominantly white student body in a rural agricultural setting, academic results that are below the midpoint among county districts for the tested middle-school grades, and a community that is affordable and slow-growing. The absence of high school test scores and graduation rate data limits the full academic picture, so speaking with the school about upper-grade outcomes and program offerings would be a sensible next step.
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