Three Yakima County public school districts received overall grades of C− or D+ in Niche’s county listing, the lowest marks among its 13 entries.
Niche’s district methodology draws on multiple sources, including academic results, teacher data and feedback from students and parents. The letter grades are Niche’s evaluations.
The reading and math percentages below are the shares of tested students who met proficiency standards in Washington’s 2024–25 testing program, as reported on the district profiles.
Granger School District — Overall Niche Grade C−
Clubs and activities and resources and facilities each earned an A− on Niche’s Granger report card. Those were the highest category marks across the three featured profiles.
Granger also received a B+ for administration and a C− for academics. Niche lists 1,438 students from preschool through 12th grade in the Granger-based district.
| Niche category | Grade |
|---|---|
| Academics | C− |
| Diversity | C |
| Teachers | C+ |
| College Prep | C |
| Clubs & Activities | A− |
| Administration | B+ |
| Sports | C+ |
| Food | B |
| Resources & Facilities | A− |
Reading Proficiency Was Nine Points Above Math
Granger’s profile shows 29% reading proficiency and 20% math proficiency. Those were the highest reported figures among the three featured districts, though fewer than one-third of tested students met the proficiency standard in either subject.
Niche lists an 18-to-1 student-teacher ratio, about three students per teacher above the 2023–24 national public-school benchmark of 15.2 to 1. The district profile does not specify the staffing year.
The ratio describes districtwide staffing, and class sizes can differ by school, grade and subject.
A Place to Start With High School Planning
The Granger High School Counseling and Student Support Center gives families a school-level contact for questions about academic planning and student support.
For a student interested in one of the activities behind Granger’s highest category grade, a useful conversation is how that commitment fits around required classes and what support is available if the student needs help staying on track.
Wapato School District — Overall Niche Grade C−
Food and resources and facilities each earned a B+ on Niche’s Wapato report card, its highest category marks. Wapato shared Granger’s overall grade, but its B− in clubs and activities and C in administration were lower than Granger’s marks in those categories.
Niche lists 3,198 students from preschool through 12th grade in the Wapato-based district, the largest enrollment of the three featured districts.
| Niche category | Grade |
|---|---|
| Academics | C− |
| Diversity | B− |
| Teachers | C+ |
| College Prep | C |
| Clubs & Activities | B− |
| Administration | C |
| Sports | C+ |
| Food | B+ |
| Resources & Facilities | B+ |
About One in Four Tested Students Met the Reading Standard
Wapato’s profile shows 24% reading proficiency and 16% math proficiency. Those figures are five and four percentage points below Granger’s, respectively, even though the two districts share a C− in Niche’s broader academics category.
Wapato’s 17-to-1 student-teacher ratio is about two students per teacher above the national public-school benchmark. It’s the closest of the three featured districts to that benchmark.
Spanish Dual Language Through Third Grade
Wapato’s dual-language program is available in transitional kindergarten, kindergarten and first through third grades in the 2026–27 school year. The district plans to extend it to additional grades over time. I
ts kindergarten enrollment guidance says dual-language seats are limited and that all kindergarten classes are held at Simcoe Elementary beginning this school year.
Families interested in the Spanish program can check availability for their child’s grade when they enroll.
Mabton School District — Overall Niche Grade D+
Food and resources and facilities earned B grades on Niche’s Mabton report card. Academics, diversity, college prep and administration each received a C−.
Mabton had the lowest overall grade in the county listing and, with 735 students in kindergarten through 12th grade on its Niche profile, the smallest enrollment among the three featured districts.
| Niche category | Grade |
|---|---|
| Academics | C− |
| Diversity | C− |
| Teachers | C |
| College Prep | C− |
| Clubs & Activities | C |
| Administration | C− |
| Sports | C+ |
| Food | B |
| Resources & Facilities | B |
Math Proficiency Was 13%
Mabton’s profile shows 21% reading proficiency and 13% math proficiency, the lowest figures in both subjects among the three featured districts. All three received the same C− academics grade.
The proficiency figures give readers a more specific look at performance in each subject.
Mabton’s 18-to-1 student-teacher ratio matches Granger’s and is about three students per teacher above the national public-school benchmark. The two districts’ different proficiency figures show why staffing and test results are worth examining separately.
Career Courses at Mabton Junior Senior High
Mabton’s career and technical education program gives families a starting point for exploring options at the secondary level. Students can use the junior-senior high school’s program directory to find out what’s available, then ask which courses are open to their grade and how those courses fit into a graduation plan.
Where the Grades Separate in Yakima County
The cutoff in Niche’s 13-district listing fell between C− and C. Sunnyside, Toppenish and Yakima each received a C, one step above Granger and Wapato. The highest listed grade was B+, shared by West Valley and Zillah.
The category grades tell a more specific story about the districts at the bottom of the listing. All three earned a C− in academics and a C+ in sports.
Clubs and activities showed a wider spread, from A− in Granger to B− in Wapato and C in Mabton. That difference gives families who care about extracurriculars a more focused starting point than the overall grade.
For academics, start with the school your child would attend. The Washington State Report Card lets families look up campus-level results and check how students performed in the grade their child is entering. Then ask what happens during the school day when a student needs more help with reading or math.
For an activity, language program or career course, check who can enroll and when. The district report card can help narrow the questions you bring to the school.
