Original Research by School Decision on Chiawana Senior High School
Chiawana Senior High School is a regular public school in Pasco, Washington, part of the Pasco School District. It serves grades 8 through 12, though in practice the enrollment is concentrated in grades 9 through 12 with no eighth graders recorded in the data. The school is large, and in recent years it became the largest high school in the state, a situation that the district has actively addressed by opening a new comprehensive high school for the 2025-26 school year, Sageview High School, which is intended to relieve overcrowding.
The student body is majority Hispanic, with white students making up a substantial minority and small shares of Asian, Black, Native American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and multiracial students. A high proportion of students come from low-income households, as indicated by the share who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in this profile.
State testing results from the most recent year provide a snapshot of academic performance. In English language arts, a moderate share of students met the proficient or advanced benchmark. Science proficiency was at a comparable level. Math proficiency was weaker, with a smaller share reaching that threshold. These results cover a single year, so there is no trend data to show improvement or decline. A parent may want to discuss the school’s instructional supports and any targeted interventions directly with the school. Graduation rate data was not available for this profile, and no comparison to other schools in Franklin County could be made because the required metrics were missing.
Pasco is one of the three Tri-Cities, alongside Kennewick and Richland, and is among the fastest-growing cities in Washington. The city has a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial activity, with a strong agricultural and food-processing base and recent growth centered on the west side, where Chiawana is located. The Pasco School District has been responding to population growth with capital investments. In addition to the new high school, the district purchased land nearby for a future elementary or middle school and plans to open Orion High School, a career and college center, during the same school year. These developments may affect school boundaries and program offerings for families in the area.
Chiawana Senior High School offers a large, diverse learning environment in a rapidly growing suburban setting. Families considering the school will want to look into its academic supports, course offerings, and how the recent district expansion may shape the school’s size and programming in the coming years.
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