Can I use Cowlitz County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Cowlitz County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Cowlitz County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Cowlitz County?

Start with the 48 listed public schools and 7 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Cowlitz County Schools & Education

Name: Cowlitz County, Washington Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Cowlitz County, Washington

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

School Score

47/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

84.1%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

84.1%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 81.4%

Per-Pupil Spending

$8,528

National avg $13,239

State avg $9,250

School Score

47/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 51/100

State Score Position

#26

of 39 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Cowlitz County

Measured School Summary

Cowlitz County has midrange measured school signals (score: 47/100) with a graduation rate of 84.1%, which warrants review in official state and district records.

Funding Context

Cowlitz County spends $8,528 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 8% below the Washington average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 2.7 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 8% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Cowlitz County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

48 public schools and 7 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

47/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #26 of 39 Washington counties with school score data.

Completion

84.1%

2.7 pts above the state average

Funding context

$8,528

$722 below the state average

School coverage

7 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Cowlitz County has 48 public schools across 7 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Cowlitz County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Mixed school landscape

Cowlitz County has enough school-level records to compare the local mix, but no single county metric should be treated as the answer. Use district shape, grade span, and data coverage together.

State position

#26

of 39 Washington counties with school score data. The county score is 4 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Longview School District

Elementary to high school visible

6,311 students

Elementary 9Middle 3High 5Other 1

18 listed schools in this county slice.

Kelso School District

Elementary to high school visible

4,940 students

Elementary 6Middle 2High 3Other 2

13 listed schools in this county slice.

Woodland School District

Elementary to high school visible

2,432 students

Elementary 3Middle 1High 2Other 1

7 listed schools in this county slice.

Castle Rock School District

Elementary to high school visible

1,508 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 1

4 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Longview School District is the largest listed district slice, with 18 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Cowlitz County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Cowlitz County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Cowlitz County, Washington

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

Diverse Schooling on the Columbia River

Cowlitz County manages 48 public schools serving 17,049 students across seven school districts. The infrastructure includes 21 elementary, eight middle, and 14 high schools, plus eight alternative learning centers. This network provides comprehensive coverage for the county's industrial and residential centers.

Longview and Kelso Anchor Education

Longview School District is the largest, managing 18 schools and 6,311 students, while Kelso School District serves 4,940 students. Woodland School District also provides significant service with 2,432 students. No charter schools are active, as the established districts cover the county's diverse educational needs.

A Mix of Urban and Rural Settings

Schools are distributed across 19 city, 11 suburban, and nine rural locations, with an average size of 363 students. Kelso High School is the county's largest campus with 1,424 students, while town-based elementary schools offer smaller, local environments. This mix caters to both metropolitan families and those in outlying timber and farm lands.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Cowlitz County

Reported Enrollment

17,049

48 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary21

Middle8

High14

Other5

7 School Districts in Cowlitz County

Longview School District

Kelso School District

Woodland School District

7 schools

2,432 students

Castle Rock School District

4 schools

1,508 students

Kalama School District

3 schools

1,151 students

Toutle Lake School District

2 schools

690 students

Educational Service District 112

3 schools

57 students

48 Public Schools in Cowlitz County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Search schools

Level

Sort

Showing 20 of 48 matching schools

Public schools in Cowlitz County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Kelso High School	Profile	Kelso School District	Kelso, 98626Suburb: Small	9–12	High	1,424
R A Long High School	Record	Longview School District	Longview, 98632City: Small	9–12	High	922
Mark Morris High School	Record	Longview School District	Longview, 98632City: Small	9–12	High	914
Lexington Elementary	Record	Kelso School District	Kelso, 98626Suburb: Small	KG–5	Primary	798
Castle Rock Elementary	Record	Castle Rock School District	CASTLE ROCK, 98611Town: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	702
Woodland Middle School	Record	Woodland School District	Woodland, 98674Town: Distant	5–8	Middle	682
Woodland High School	Record	Woodland School District	Woodland, 98674Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	658
Coweeman Middle School	Record	Kelso School District	Kelso, 98626Suburb: Small	6–8	Middle	570
Kalama Elem School	Record	Kalama School District	Kalama, 98625Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	562
Huntington Middle School	Record	Kelso School District	Kelso, 98626Suburb: Small	6–8	Middle	539
Monticello Middle School	Record	Longview School District	Longview, 98632City: Small	6–8	Middle	494
Cascade Middle School	Record	Longview School District	Longview, 98632City: Small	6–8	Middle	462
Castle Rock High School	Record	Castle Rock School District	CASTLE ROCK, 98611Town: Fringe	9–12	High	449
North Fork Elementary School	Record	Woodland School District	Woodland, 98674Town: Distant	KG–4	Primary	445
Columbia Elementary School	Record	Woodland School District	Woodland, 98674Town: Distant	PK–4	Primary	428
Mint Valley Elementary	Record	Longview School District	Longview, 98632City: Small	KG–5	Primary	416
Robert Gray Elementary	Record	Longview School District	Longview, 98632Suburb: Small	KG–5	Primary	414
Mt. Solo Middle School	Record	Longview School District	Longview, 98632City: Small	6–8	Middle	408
Butler Acres Elementary	Record	Kelso School District	Kelso, 98626Suburb: Small	KG–5	Primary	406
Toutle Lake Elementary	Record	Toutle Lake School District	Toutle, 98649Rural: Distant	KG–6	Primary	390

Kelso High School

Kelso School District

Kelso, 98626 / Suburb: Small

Profile9–12High1,424 students

R A Long High School

Longview School District

Longview, 98632 / City: Small

Record9–12High922 students

Mark Morris High School

Longview School District

Longview, 98632 / City: Small

Record9–12High914 students

Lexington Elementary

Kelso School District

Kelso, 98626 / Suburb: Small

RecordKG–5Primary798 students

Castle Rock Elementary

Castle Rock School District

CASTLE ROCK, 98611 / Town: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary702 students

Woodland Middle School

Woodland School District

Woodland, 98674 / Town: Distant

Record5–8Middle682 students

Woodland High School

Woodland School District

Woodland, 98674 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High658 students

Coweeman Middle School

Kelso School District

Kelso, 98626 / Suburb: Small

Record6–8Middle570 students

Kalama Elem School

Kalama School District

Kalama, 98625 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary562 students

Huntington Middle School

Kelso School District

Kelso, 98626 / Suburb: Small

Record6–8Middle539 students

Monticello Middle School

Longview School District

Longview, 98632 / City: Small

Record6–8Middle494 students

Cascade Middle School

Longview School District

Longview, 98632 / City: Small

Record6–8Middle462 students

Castle Rock High School

Castle Rock School District

CASTLE ROCK, 98611 / Town: Fringe

Record9–12High449 students

North Fork Elementary School

Woodland School District

Woodland, 98674 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–4Primary445 students

Columbia Elementary School

Woodland School District

Woodland, 98674 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–4Primary428 students

Mint Valley Elementary

Longview School District

Longview, 98632 / City: Small

RecordKG–5Primary416 students

Robert Gray Elementary

Longview School District

Longview, 98632 / Suburb: Small

RecordKG–5Primary414 students

Mt. Solo Middle School

Longview School District

Longview, 98632 / City: Small

Record6–8Middle408 students

Butler Acres Elementary

Kelso School District

Kelso, 98626 / Suburb: Small

RecordKG–5Primary406 students

Toutle Lake Elementary

Toutle Lake School District

Toutle, 98649 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–6Primary390 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$8,528

State avg $9,250

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Cowlitz County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Washington counties have the highest graduation rates?

Wahkiakum County (95.0%), Lincoln County (91.7%), and Garfield County (90.0%) currently lead Washington among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.

What is per-pupil spending like in Washington?

Across Washington counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $9,250. The highest current county values are Skamania County ($10,545), Ferry County ($10,380), and Pend Oreille County ($10,253). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Cowlitz County?

Cowlitz County has a school score of 47/100, which is a midrange measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.

What is the graduation rate in Cowlitz County?

The high school graduation rate in Cowlitz County is 84.1%, which is below the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.

How much does Cowlitz County spend per student?

Cowlitz County spends $8,528 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Cowlitz County, Washington — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Cowlitz County, Washington?

What are the major school districts in Cowlitz County, Washington?

What is the school experience like in Cowlitz County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Walla Walla County

Washington

-0 pts

46/100

School score

Whatcom County

Washington

-0 pts

46/100

School score

Pierce County

Washington

-1 pts

46/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

Explore more data for Cowlitz County

Property Tax Cost of Living Crime Rate Income Health Disaster Risk Water Quality Weather County Score