Metro overview
46 schools ranked · Updated July 26, 2026
These are the schools where raw test performance and decoded performance disagree most. The shift column shows the gap between Achievement Rank and Decoded Rank.
Raw scores are modest, but decoded performance is strong — these schools are doing more than their context predicts.
High raw scores AND high decoded performance — doing more with their context than peer schools at the same level.
Raw scores are high, but the school's advantaged context predicts even higher — raw scores may overstate the school's effect.
| Fairhaven Middle SchoolNeighborhood | Bellingham School District | #4 | #1 | ★Strong by Both Measures | High | |
| Whatcom Middle SchoolNeighborhood | Bellingham School District | #8 | #2 | ★Strong by Both Measures | High | |
| Kulshan Middle SchoolNeighborhood | Bellingham School District | #3 | #3 | ★Strong by Both Measures | High | |
| Silver Beach Elementary SchoolNeighborhood | Bellingham School District | #1 | #4 | ★Strong by Both Measures | High | |
| Nooksack Valley Middle SchoolNeighborhood | Nooksack Valley School District | #22 | #5 | ★★Outperforming Expectations | High | |
| Nooksack ElementaryNeighborhood | Nooksack Valley School District | #10 | #6 | ★Strong by Both Measures | High | |
| Parkview Elementary SchoolNeighborhood | Bellingham School District | #2 | #7 | ★Strong by Both Measures | High | |
| Everson ElementaryNeighborhood | Nooksack Valley School District | #28 | #8 | ★★Outperforming Expectations | High | |
| Alderwood Elementary SchoolNeighborhood | Bellingham School District | #31 | #9 | ★★Outperforming Expectations | High | |
| Vista Middle SchoolNeighborhood | Ferndale School District | #16 | #10 | ★★Outperforming Expectations | High |
| Sehome High SchoolNeighborhood | Bellingham School District | #1 | #1HS | HS outcome | HS pool | |
| Bellingham High SchoolNeighborhood | Bellingham School District | #2 | #2HS | HS outcome | HS pool | |
| Mount Baker Senior HighNeighborhood | Mount Baker School District | #8 | #3HS | HS outcome | HS pool | |
| Lynden High SchoolNeighborhood | Lynden School District | #4 | #4HS | HS outcome | HS pool | |
| Blaine High SchoolNeighborhood | Blaine School District | #3 | #5HS | HS outcome | HS pool | |
| Nooksack Valley High SchoolNeighborhood | Nooksack Valley School District | #6 | #6HS | HS outcome | HS pool | |
| Ferndale High SchoolNeighborhood | Ferndale School District | #7 | #7HS | HS outcome | HS pool | |
| Meridian High SchoolNeighborhood | Meridian School District | #5 | #8HS | HS outcome | HS pool | |
| Squalicum High SchoolNeighborhood | Bellingham School District | #9 | #9HS | HS outcome | HS pool |
SchoolDecoder publishes context-adjusted residuals, not causal estimates. Decoded Rank is one signal — not a verdict on teaching quality. Read about limitations →