Outperforming Expectations
Raw scores are modest, but decoded performance is strong — these schools are doing more than their context predicts.
- Nooksack Valley Middle School #952 → #456
- Custer Elem #630 → #384
Metro overview
Bellingham, WA — 2024 Decoded Rankings
48 schools ranked · Updated September 4, 2026
- 2 outperforming expectations
- 7 strong by both measures
- 2 high scores, context matters
- 18 typical profile
Where rankings diverge
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.
Strong by Both Measures
High raw scores AND high decoded performance — doing more with their context than peer schools at the same level.
- Fairhaven Middle School #336 → #121
- Kulshan Middle School #305 → #150
- Silver Beach Elementary School #206 → #229
- Nooksack Elementary #449 → #271
- Vossbeck Elementary School #365 → #315
High Scores, Context Matters
Raw scores are high, but the school's advantaged context predicts even higher — raw scores may overstate the school's effect.
- Geneva Elementary School #436 → #874
- Columbia Elementary School #387 → #701
- Isom Elementary School #474 → #568
Elementary & Middle Schools
View all 43 →Elementary / Middle Schools (43 ranked)
| Rating | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairhaven Middle SchoolNeighborhood | Bellingham School District | #336 | #121 (WA)plausibly #95–183#1 (Bellingham metro) | ★Strong by Both Measures | High | ||
| Kulshan Middle SchoolNeighborhood | Bellingham School District | #305 | #150 (WA)plausibly #82–320#2 (Bellingham metro) | ★Strong by Both Measures | High | ||
| Silver Beach Elementary SchoolNeighborhood | Bellingham School District | #206 | #229 (WA)plausibly #78–450#3 (Bellingham metro) | ★Strong by Both Measures | High | ||
| Nooksack ElementaryNeighborhood | Nooksack Valley School District | #449 | #271 (WA)plausibly #147–431#4 (Bellingham metro)≈ tied with next | Typical Profile | High | ||
| Whatcom Middle SchoolNeighborhood | Bellingham School District | #583 | #272 (WA)plausibly #200–425#5 (Bellingham metro)≈ tied with next | ★★Outperforming Expectations | High | ||
| Vossbeck Elementary SchoolNeighborhood | Lynden School District | #365 | #315 (WA)plausibly #184–501#6 (Bellingham metro)≈ tied with next | ★Strong by Both Measures | High | ||
| Lowell Elementary SchoolNeighborhood | Bellingham School District | #351 | #334 (WA)plausibly #168–557#7 (Bellingham metro)≈ tied with next | ★Strong by Both Measures | Medium | ||
| Parkview Elementary SchoolNeighborhood | Bellingham School District | #386 | #337 (WA)plausibly #216–530#8 (Bellingham metro)≈ tied with next | Typical Profile | High | ||
| Custer ElemNeighborhood | Ferndale School District | #630 | #384 (WA)plausibly #191–611#9 (Bellingham metro) | Typical Profile | High | ||
| Nooksack Valley Middle SchoolNeighborhood | Nooksack Valley School District | #952 | #456 (WA)plausibly #291–770#10 (Bellingham metro)≈ tied with next | Typical Profile | High |
Rows marked ≈ are statistically tied with the row below them: on the current data the joint simulation gives the upper school less than a 65% chance of ranking above the lower one. Ties are between adjacent rows only.
High Schools
View all 15 →High Schools (15 ranked)
9 official · 1 unranked (N/A — not yet eligible)
| Rating | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blaine High SchoolNeighborhood | Blaine School District | #52 | #15 (WA)HS#1 (Bellingham metro) | HS outcome | High | ||
| Sehome High SchoolNeighborhood | Bellingham School District | #77 | #51 (WA)HS#2 (Bellingham metro) | HS outcome | Medium | ||
| Nooksack Valley High SchoolNeighborhood | Nooksack Valley School District | #68 | #61 (WA)HS#3 (Bellingham metro) | HS outcome | High | ||
| Bellingham High SchoolNeighborhood | Bellingham School District | #88 | #69 (WA)HS#4 (Bellingham metro) | HS outcome | Medium | ||
| Mount Baker Senior HighNeighborhood | Mount Baker School District | #199 | #125 (WA)HS#5 (Bellingham metro) | HS outcome | Medium | ||
| Ferndale High SchoolNeighborhood | Ferndale School District | #159 | #165 (WA)HS#6 (Bellingham metro) | HS outcome | High | ||
| Lynden High SchoolNeighborhood | Lynden School District | #127 | #172 (WA)HS#7 (Bellingham metro) | HS outcome | High | ||
| Meridian High SchoolNeighborhood | Meridian School District | #85 | #179 (WA)HS#8 (Bellingham metro) | HS outcome | High | ||
| Squalicum High SchoolNeighborhood | Bellingham School District | #132 | #187 (WA)HS#9 (Bellingham metro) | HS outcome | Medium | ||
| Unranked (1 not yet eligible for a rank) | |||||||
| Bellingham Re-Engagement Program | Bellingham School District | — | N/A | N/A | — | Not enough data to rank | |
Districts in Bellingham, WA
Districts in this metro
Data & sources
- Assessment data
- 2023–24 school year
- NCES CCD vintage
- 2023
- Census ACS 5-year vintage
- 2020-2024
- Last updated
- September 4, 2026
- Methodology version
- 0.14.0
Source files (3)
- NCES CCD 2023 directory (Urban Institute) (accessed 2026-09-04)
- ACS 5-year 2020-2024 (accessed 2026-09-04)
- Washington OSPI 2023-24 school-level results (accessed 2026-09-04)
SchoolDecoder publishes context-adjusted residuals, not causal estimates. Decoded Rank is one signal — not a verdict on teaching quality. Read about limitations →