According to the most recently available WASL test scores (2008 to 2009), the top five schools are in the Edmonds, Everett and Seattle school districts. Challenge Elementry in Montlake Terrace; Cedar Wood Elementary in Everett; and Lowell, View Ridge; and Hay Elementaries in Seattle make up the top five elementary schools. However, several school districts offer special programs, as well. Tacoma and Seattle districts offer public Montessori programs. Bellevue, Seattle, Tacoma and Northshore school districts each offer language immersion programs at select elementary schools.
The east side of Lake Washington produced the highest WASL scores for middle schools in Western Washington in 2008 to 2009. Stella Schola in Redmond; International Community School and Environmental and Adventure School, both in Kirkland; International School in Bellevue; and Federal Way Public Academy in Federal Way hold the second through No. 6 best spots in Washington state. Also of note are traditional schools Islander Middle School in Mercer Island and Northstar Junior High in Kirkland, ranked No. 8 and No. 10, respectively.
Western Washington offers a diverse selection of high schools, with traditional education models alongside language immersion schools, arts-focused schools and gifted academies. The top five scoring schools are International Community School in Kirkland, International School in Bellevue, Cam Junior/Senior High School in Battle Ground, Aviation High in Seattle and Mercer Island High School in Mercer Island. Bellevue's International school also scores in the top 10 in the nation in U.S. News & World Reports Ten Best High Schools due to its global focus and broad foreign language requirements. Interlake High School in Bellevue ranks No. 14 in the nation in Newsweek's national High School rankings, the highest spot for a Western Washington school.