Education in Spokane, Washington facts for kids

The Spokane area offers many ways for young people to learn and grow! You can find information and study spaces at the Spokane Public Library and the Spokane County Library District. For school, Spokane Public Schools has six high schools, six middle schools, and thirty-four elementary schools. There are also public charter, private, and religious schools to choose from.

For higher education, the area has the Community Colleges of Spokane (which includes Spokane Community College and Spokane Falls Community College). There are also two private universities, Gonzaga University and Whitworth University, plus many trade and technical schools. In Downtown Spokane's University District, you'll find branches of bigger universities like Washington State University Spokane, which even has a medical school called the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine.

In 2011, about 54,830 students were enrolled in schools in Spokane. This included 5,484 in nursery school and kindergarten, and 30,548 in elementary or high school. About 18,798 students were in college or graduate school. Also, in 2011, most adults (91.6%) had finished high school, and almost a third (29.2%) had a college degree or higher.

Libraries: Your Gateway to Knowledge

Spokane Public Library - Central branch is a great place to study!

Spokane has two main public library systems to help everyone learn. These are the Spokane Public Library (for those inside the city) and the Spokane County Library District (for those in the wider county).

The Spokane Public Library started in 1904 with money from a generous person named Andrew Carnegie. It has a main library downtown, which looks out over the Spokane Falls. There are also five other branch libraries around the city. These libraries have special collections about the history of the Inland Pacific Northwest. They include old books, magazines, maps, photos, and government documents. The main downtown library has over 435,000 books and other items. People borrow more than 2 million items from it every year! The very first downtown library building, called The Carnegie Building, is still standing just a few blocks from the current main library.

Colleges and universities in Spokane also have their own libraries. These include the Spokane Community College Library and the Spokane Falls Community College Library. Gonzaga University has the Foley Center Library, with over 427,000 books. Their law school also has the Chastek Library. Whitworth University has the Harriet Cheney Cowles Memorial Library, which holds over 220,000 items.

Learning in Elementary and High School

Public Schools in Spokane

Lewis and Clark High School is one of Spokane's historic high schools.

Spokane Public Schools (District No. 81) started way back in 1889. It's the biggest public school system in Spokane and the second-largest in Washington state. As of 2014, it serves about 30,000 students. The district has six high schools, six middle schools, and thirty-four elementary schools.

Within Spokane Public Schools, there are also two special independent charter schools. These offer different learning choices compared to traditional high schools. They are Innovation High School and the Spokane International Academy.

Other large public school districts in the Spokane area include the Mead School District (which has Mead High School and Mt. Spokane High School). The Central Valley School District has Central Valley High School, University High School, and Ridgeline High School. The West Valley School District has West Valley High School, and the East Valley School District has East Valley High School. These are all located in Spokane Valley.

Spokane Area Public High Schools

Here are some of the public high schools in the Spokane area:

Note: Enrollment numbers are from April 2021.

Private Schools in Spokane

Upper Columbia Academy in Spangle is a boarding school.

Besides public schools, Spokane also has many private and religious elementary and high schools. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane runs ten of these schools, including Gonzaga Preparatory School.

Other religious schools in the Spokane area include Upper Columbia Academy. This is a boarding school for high school students that offers a Seventh-day Adventist education. It's located south of Spokane in Spangle. Northwest Christian School is another option, a K-12 school that is not tied to one specific church. It's located north in Colbert.

Saint George's School in north Spokane is a private school for grades K-12. It offers the International Baccalaureate program, which is a challenging course of study.

There are also special schools for students with unique needs or those who want to focus on certain subjects. For example, some schools use the Montessori method, which is a different way of teaching. All private schools must be approved by the state.

The Salish School of Spokane is a special school that helps preserve the Salish language for Native American communities. It teaches the language and culture through immersion, meaning students learn by being surrounded by the language. The school offers K-6 grades and plans to add high school classes in the future.

Spokane Area Private High Schools

Here are some of the private high schools in the Spokane area:

Note: Enrollment numbers are from April 2021.

Colleges and Universities: Learning Beyond High School

St. Aloysius Church at Gonzaga University

Spokane has several options for higher education after high school. These include the private universities Gonzaga and Whitworth. There's also the public Community Colleges of Spokane system, which includes Spokane Community College and Spokane Falls Community College. Plus, there are other local campuses and technical schools.

The Community Colleges of Spokane run Spokane Community College (SCC) and Spokane Falls Community College (SFCC). They also have a program called the Institute for Extended Learning. This program helps with learning in rural areas, business training, adult reading skills, and early childhood education.

Spokane Community College started in 1963. Later, a second campus was built, which became Spokane Falls Community College in 1970. Both SCC and SFCC now offer four-year bachelor's degrees in certain subjects. For example, SFCC offers degrees in applied management and cybersecurity, and SCC offers one in respiratory therapy. As of 2020, the Community Colleges of Spokane serve about 20,000 students each year. They offer over 120 different degree programs!

Gonzaga University and its Law School were founded by a priest named Joseph Cataldo and the Jesuits in 1887. Gonzaga offers many different degree programs. These include 43 bachelor's degrees, 26 master's degrees, and a doctoral program in educational leadership. It also offers a law degree, and it's one of only three schools in Washington state where you can study law. About 7,700 students attend Gonzaga.

The Hello Walk at Whitworth University is a popular spot.

Whitworth was first started in Tacoma, Washington in 1890. It moved to its current location in Spokane in 1914. This move happened thanks to a generous land gift and money from the community. Whitworth is connected to the Presbyterian Church. In 2011, about 2,500 students were studying in 53 different programs there.

Several other regional universities also have campuses or programs in Spokane's University District. Washington State University Spokane (also known as the Riverpoint Campus) is WSU's health sciences campus. It has WSU's College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, and the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. Washington State University is a large public university, and its main campus is about 65 miles (105 km) south in Pullman.

The WSU Health Sciences Spokane campus is in the University District.

The University District is a hub for advanced studies and research in health sciences. WSU Spokane focuses on health sciences, education, and criminal justice. One of its research centers, the WSU Sleep and Performance Research Center, studies sleep and how tiredness affects people. There's also the Spokane Teaching Health Center, where medical students and residents help people who need care. The campus also has a Veterinary Specialty Teaching Clinic.

The University of Washington also has medical education programs in Spokane, working with Gonzaga. The University District is also home to Innovate Washington, an agency that helps new technology companies grow.

Other schools in Spokane include the Inland Northwest Culinary Academy, where you can train to be a professional chef. There's also the Spokane Art School. Great Northern University is a Christian school that started in 2018. It offers several bachelor's degree programs, including studies in the Bible, communication, and leadership.

Spokane Area Colleges and Universities

Here are some of the main colleges and universities in the Spokane area:

Note: Enrollment numbers are from April 2021 and include both full-time and part-time students.

Past Schools in Spokane

Some schools that used to be in or near Spokane are no longer open. These include Spokane University, Spokane College, and Spokane Junior College. Also, campuses of the University of Phoenix and ITT Tech used to be here.