Three Kittitas County public school districts tied with overall grades of B− in Niche’s county listing. That was both the lowest and highest grade on the list, which includes three districts.
The report cards differ once you get past that first letter. One district earned an A− for teachers, another earned a B+ for college prep, and their reported reading proficiency figures span 10 percentage points.
Niche’s district methodology draws on academic data, teacher-related measures and feedback from students and parents. The letter grades are Niche’s evaluations.
The proficiency percentages below are the figures Niche reports from Washington’s 2024–25 state testing program.
Cle Elum-Roslyn School District — Overall Niche Grade B−
Teachers earned a B+ on Niche’s Cle Elum-Roslyn report card, the district’s highest category grade. College prep, clubs and activities, and administration each earned a C+.
Niche lists 1,026 students from preschool through 12th grade in the district, which serves Cle Elum and Roslyn.
| Niche category | Grade |
|---|---|
| Academics | B− |
| Diversity | B− |
| Teachers | B+ |
| College Prep | C+ |
| Clubs & Activities | C+ |
| Administration | C+ |
| Sports | B− |
| Food | B− |
| Resources & Facilities | B− |
More Than Half Met the Reading Standard
Niche reports 56% reading proficiency and 44% math proficiency for Cle Elum-Roslyn. Those are the highest figures in both subjects among the three listed districts. Reading was 12 percentage points above math.
The district’s 19-to-1 student-teacher ratio was also the highest of the three, at about four students per teacher above the 2023–24 national public-school benchmark of 15.2 to 1.
Niche does not specify the year alongside the district ratios. These figures describe staffing across a district, and class sizes can vary by campus, grade and subject.
An Alternative High School Path Through Swiftwater
The district’s enrollment guide describes Swiftwater Learning Center as a competency-based high school option that requires an application and interview.
The Swiftwater program page says the district is exploring new pathways in 2026–27 and directs families to the school for details about current offerings. S
tudents considering a change can ask what a typical week looks like and how credits they’ve already earned would fit into their graduation plan.
Ellensburg School District — Overall Niche Grade B−
College prep, sports and food each earned a B+ on Niche’s Ellensburg report card. Administration received a C−, the district’s lowest category grade.
With 3,408 students from preschool through 12th grade on its profile, the Ellensburg-based district is the largest of the three in the listing.
| Niche category | Grade |
|---|---|
| Academics | B− |
| Diversity | B |
| Teachers | C+ |
| College Prep | B+ |
| Clubs & Activities | B |
| Administration | C− |
| Sports | B+ |
| Food | B+ |
| Resources & Facilities | B |
Reading Proficiency Was 10 Points Above Math
Ellensburg’s profile shows 49% reading proficiency and 39% math proficiency. The district shares Cle Elum-Roslyn’s B− in academics, even though the profiles show different proficiency figures in both subjects.
Niche lists an 18-to-1 student-teacher ratio for Ellensburg, about three students per teacher above the national public-school benchmark. The ratio falls between the other two districts in the listing.
College Credit Through Central Washington University
Ellensburg High School lists Advanced Placement, career and technical education, and dual-credit programs through Central Washington University among its options for students in grades 9–12.
The school’s counseling office points families to CWU for Running Start and College in the High School information. A student planning to earn college credit can check when they’re eligible to start and which courses fit alongside the high school classes they need to graduate.
Kittitas School District — Overall Niche Grade B−
An A− for teachers and a C for academics bookend Niche’s Kittitas report card. The district earned B+ grades for diversity and resources and facilities. Based in the city of Kittitas, it serves preschool through 12th grade, with 577 students listed on its profile.
| Niche category | Grade |
|---|---|
| Academics | C |
| Diversity | B+ |
| Teachers | A− |
| College Prep | B− |
| Clubs & Activities | B |
| Administration | B |
| Sports | B− |
| Food | B |
| Resources & Facilities | B+ |
The Staffing Ratio Was Closest to the National Benchmark
Niche reports 46% reading proficiency and 36% math proficiency for Kittitas. Its 15-to-1 student-teacher ratio was the lowest of the three listed districts and just below the national public-school benchmark of 15.2 to 1.
Kittitas had the highest teacher grade and the lowest reported proficiency figures of the three. Those measures answer different questions.
For a family looking at academic support, the campus results can help identify what to ask about, from reading instruction to how teachers check progress during the year.
How Families Can Request a Special Education Evaluation
The district’s special education guide explains how a parent or teacher can refer a student for evaluation. Parents can request a referral form from the school and submit supporting documents, including outside evaluations if they have them.
The district lists speech and occupational therapy, assistive technology and counseling among its supports. The student’s individualized education program team determines which services are appropriate.
What a Three-Way Tie Shows in Kittitas County
The B− tie covers every district on Niche’s Kittitas County list. The scope matters because the county’s school district map covers more districts than Niche lists here.
Within the tie, the category grades shift depending on what a family wants to compare. Kittitas earned a higher grade for teachers than Ellensburg, while Ellensburg earned a higher grade for college prep.
Cle Elum-Roslyn and Ellensburg both earned a B− in academics, while Cle Elum-Roslyn’s reported math proficiency was five points higher. The common overall grade leaves room for meaningful differences in the measures underneath it.
Families can start with the school their child would attend in the Washington State Report Card, then look at results for the grade their child is entering.
For a younger student, the next question might be how the school helps children who struggle with reading. For a teenager, it might be how college credit or an alternative high school program fits into their graduation plan.
