Original Research by School Decision on Lincoln High School
Lincoln High School is an alternative high school in the Port Angeles School District, serving grades nine through twelve. The school is small—its enrollment is modest—and the grade-level breakdown shows no ninth graders enrolled, with the largest group in twelfth grade, suggesting that students typically arrive after ninth grade or that its program is structured for upperclassmen. As an alternative school, it operates outside the conventional comprehensive high school model, which carries specific implications for the academic metrics a parent will see.
State testing data is limited. For math, results were suppressed, meaning the number of students tested was too small to report publicly—a common situation in a small alternative setting. In English language arts, the available data shows a single year with a proficiency rate that lands in the moderate range; the same is true for science. There is no multi-year trend to examine, so it is hard to gauge whether performance is stable or shifting. A graduation rate was not available in the data, and while that data is often missing for alternative schools that may use different completion benchmarks, a parent should ask the school directly about how it measures and reports student outcomes.
The student body reflects the broader community’s diversity but with a notably higher share of Native American students than many Washington schools. The largest racial group is white, followed by Hispanic students and then American Indian or Alaska Native students; a smaller share identifies as two or more races. The proportion of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is high, indicating that a substantial majority of families face economic challenges. Data on special education and English learner populations was not available.
Port Angeles is the primary urban center on the North Olympic Peninsula, a working waterfront town that serves as the gateway to Olympic National Park. Major employers include the federal government, Peninsula College, the Port of Port Angeles, and the Coast Guard. The city has seen modest population growth in recent years. Housing values in the area sit below the state benchmark, and rents relative to income are typical for a small city of this type. The downtown has a traditional street grid and a walkable core oriented toward the waterfront and ferry service to Victoria, British Columbia. Civic life is integrated into the city fabric rather than isolated on campuses.
The district itself has not announced any recent major changes that would reshape the school experience; the district brief found little of lasting impact to report. Lincoln High School offers an alternative pathway within the district, which likely means smaller class sizes, a different pacing, and more individualized support than the district’s comprehensive high school. A parent considering this school should investigate what makes it alternative—whether it is a credit-recovery program, a project-based model, or a setting for students who have struggled in a traditional environment—because the term covers many approaches.
Lincoln High School may fit a student who needs a smaller, more flexible setting and who is prepared for the challenges that come with a high-poverty school. The absence of a full testing picture and graduation rate is not a red flag in itself, but it is a gap that only the school can fill through direct conversation. A family drawn to the close-knit character of Port Angeles and the school’s small scale should visit and ask about student outcomes, support services, and post-graduation plans.
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