Yakima Schools: Life-Long Learning

With 15 K-12 school districts serving 46,000 students in Yakima County and more than 20 private schools, there’s something for every family. The valley’s six higher education programs and military center makes it a training destination for medical, vocational and military professionals.

Educating our Kids
With a student-teacher ration of 18:1, area schools earn national recognition and serve students with a variety of special programs.
Nob Hill Elementary School earned the Great School Award for three consecutive years. Yakima has one of only two high schools in the state authorized to prepare students for the International Baccalaureate Diploma.
With nearly $2 million in grants from Professional Development for Arts Educators since 2005, newly expanded arts programs benefit students throughout the region. The second largest district in Eastern Washington, students from Yakima schools participated in the Reading Excellence Act pilot program, exceeding the national average on a standardized test of reading fluency.

Yakima Schools

From grammar school through trade schools and universities, the Yakima Valley is rich with excellent educational opportunities. Area public schools have received Presidential awards of excellence while private schools and public schools boast statewide sportsmanship excellence in basketball, soccer, tennis, football, track and field, as well as excellence in the musical arts.

The great diversity of our Valley is certainly represented in our schools. We have a robust mix of public and private educational institutions serving the needs of our community. The Yakima Valley is a great place to further your education and career with a number of excellent local colleges including Yakima Valley Community College, Heritage University, City University, Perry Technical Institute and extension classes from Washington State University and Central Washington University.

Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences, a private osteopathic medical school, is located in Yakima. Currently there are only 25 osteopathic medical schools in the entire U.S.

Yakima’s medical community is continuing to grow. In addition to Memorial’s growing Family of Services and the talent that has relocated to Yakima as a result of these innovative research- and technology-driven care centers, the educational opportunities in the Valley have more than quadrupled in the past decade. Area students have many options for degrees in nursing, advanced health care, physical therapy assistants, x-ray, medical records, dental hygiene and the Family Practice Residency Program. Through any one of the area’s campus or satellite locations, education is available for certification and continuing credits.