The top reported proficiency rate is 43% in English language arts. The lowest is 33% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Kittitas High School
Kittitas High School serves students in grades six through twelve in the small agricultural town of Kittitas, central Washington. It is the only secondary school in the Kittitas School District, a district that covers a compact, historically rail-linked community of about a thousand residents where farming and agriculture have long anchored the local economy. The town itself is part of the Ellensburg micropolitan area, about a short drive west of the county seat, and offers limited local retail and employment, with many residents likely commuting to Ellensburg for work. The school building sits within this modest civic fabric, integrated into the town rather than on a separated campus.
The school enrolls roughly three hundred students, with grade cohorts of similar size from sixth through twelfth grade. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a community with significant economic need. The student body is predominantly white, with a notable Hispanic minority and small numbers of students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds.
State testing data from the 2024–25 school year is available for grades six through eight in math and English language arts, and for eighth-grade science. Performance varies by grade and subject. In sixth grade, a solid majority of students met the state standard in English language arts, while math performance was below half proficient. In seventh grade, English language arts and math proficiency were both lower. Eighth-grade results show higher math proficiency than seventh grade, but English language arts proficiency dropped. Science proficiency in eighth grade was modest. Across all tested subjects and grades at the school, an overall proficiency index places Kittitas High School in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Kittitas County. Because only one year of data is available, there is no trend to show whether performance is improving or declining.
A parent will notice that no state testing data appears for grades nine through twelve, and no graduation rate is reported in the available sources. High school students take different assessments, and the absence of a graduation rate means families may want to ask the school directly about on-time completion, postsecondary pathways, and the kinds of support available to older students. Information on Advanced Placement, dual credit, career and technical education programs, and course access is not present in the data reviewed. Likewise, data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing ratios, and special education or English learner populations are missing, so a comprehensive picture of the school environment is incomplete.
The housing market in Kittitas is relatively affordable compared to the state as a whole, with home values well below the Washington median and a tight supply of rentals. The town’s land area is small and agricultural zoning likely constrains new development. The school district itself reported no major recent changes in publicly available materials.
For a family considering Kittitas High School, the core question is whether the school’s academic profile aligns with their expectations. The available test results point to a school where a significant share of middle-grade students are not meeting state standards in math and, to a lesser degree, in English language arts, and the school’s performance stands below that of other districts in the county. The lack of high school outcome data and program details means a parent should pursue direct conversation with the school to understand what academic pathways, graduation support, and enrichment opportunities exist for older students. The town itself is a quiet, family-oriented agricultural community with modest amenities and a strong sense of history, but limited local employment and services beyond what a small rural town provides.
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