Original Research by School Decision on Lewis & Clark High School
Lewis & Clark High School is a large comprehensive public high school located in downtown Spokane, operating as part of Spokane Public Schools. It serves the full range of high school grades and enrolls a sizable student body, making it one of the district's major high school campuses. The school sits on West Fourth Avenue, a short walk from the Spokane River and Riverfront Park, placing it in the heart of the city’s civic and commercial core.
Academic performance at Lewis & Clark is drawn from state testing for the most recent school year. Proficiency in English language arts is strong, and science proficiency is also well above a typical baseline. Math proficiency is notably lower, a gap that families considering the school may want to discuss with staff to understand the instructional approach and available support. Because only a single year of assessment results is available, there is no trend to indicate whether these levels are improving or declining over time.
The student body is diverse in composition. The largest share of students is white, followed by students who identify as two or more races and Hispanic students. Smaller populations of Asian, Black, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaska Native students are also represented. More than a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common measure of economic need. Data on the share of students with disabilities and English learners was not reported, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the availability of special education and language support services.
Several other important metrics are missing from the available data. No graduation rate was reported, which is unusual for a regular high school and is an area a parent would want to confirm. Information about chronic absenteeism, discipline incidents, course access such as Advanced Placement or career and technical education offerings, and staffing ratios were also absent. The school's specific program offerings are not listed, so families with particular academic or extracurricular interests should verify those with the school.
Lewis & Clark is part of Spokane Public Schools, a district that recently completed a major construction program funded by a voter-approved bond. That bond financed three new middle schools that opened in recent years, reshaping feeder patterns and capacity. Families living in attendance zones that feed into Lewis & Clark may want to understand how the new middle school configuration affects their pathway to this high school.
Spokane itself is the economic and cultural anchor of the Inland Northwest. The city has a diversified economy with major employers in healthcare, government, education, logistics, and the military. The housing market in the area around the school shows home values that are moderate compared to the statewide average, and rents are similarly moderate. The city has seen modest population growth in recent years and remains relatively affordable compared to western Washington.
Given the gaps in the data, a family evaluating Lewis & Clark will want to gather additional information directly from the school, particularly on graduation rates, advanced coursework, and student support services. What is available paints a picture of a large downtown high school with solid literacy and science results, a weaker math showing that warrants a closer look, and a student body that is economically diverse within a mid-sized, growing city.
See more original research from School Decision →