Bellingham School District No. 501 (operating as Bellingham Public Schools) is a public school district serving Bellingham, Washington. The district enrolls nearly 12,000 students across its schools and programs, and is the fourth-largest employer in Whatcom County. The strategic plan of Bellingham Public Schools is known as "The Bellingham Promise".
In 2006, the Center for Digital Education, along with the National School Boards Association, named the Bellingham School District 6th in the nation for districts with 2501âÂÂ15000 students. They were also awarded an "excellence in equity" award in 2019, from the Washington State School Directors' Association, and a green ribbon for sustainability from the U.S. Department of Education in 2022.
The district includes the vast majority of the Bellingham city limits, as well as the unincorporated areas of Geneva and Sudden Valley and most of Marietta-Alderwood. A small piece of Ferndale also extends into the district.
Bellingham Public Schools includes four high schools, all serving grades 9âÂÂ12.
The district includes four grade 6âÂÂ8 middle schools.
There are 14 grade KâÂÂ5 elementary schools in the district.
Neighborhood location source: City of Bellingham. International Baccalaureate source: Bellingham Public Schools.