WA drops to 31st in education national rankings as 7 in 10 students remain below proficiency benchmarks

Washington has fallen again in a national assessment of child well-being, dropping to 31st in the country in education as student achievement remains stagnant despite more money being poured into the failing system.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2026 Kids Count Data Book ranked Washington 31st for education, down from 27th a year ago. The report evaluates states across four categories: education, economic well-being, health, and family and community factors. Overall, Washington sat in 17th place, down from 16th in 2025. The Annie E. Casey Foundation has published the Kids Count Data Book annually for 37 years, tracking indicators that affect children's quality of life and future opportunities.

The latest decline continues a longer trend. Just over a decade ago, Washington ranked 20th nationally.

Education remained one of the state's weakest areas in the report. The foundation found that 70 percent of Washington eighth graders were not proficient in math, while 68 percent of fourth graders were not proficient in reading, citing 2024 data.

The findings come as statewide assessment data continue to show many Washington students struggling to meet grade-level expectations. According to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, only 39.7 percent of students met state math standards during the 2023-24 school year, while 50.3 percent met English language arts standards. Science proficiency stood at 43.5 percent.

Although state officials have highlighted signs of recovery from pandemic-era learning losses, academic performance remains below pre-pandemic levels. Before Covid-19 disruptions, 48.9 percent of Washington students met math standards, and 59.6 percent met English language arts standards.

The state's education challenges have persisted despite substantial increases in K-12 spending. Washington now spends more than $18,000 per student annually, placing it among the nation's higher-spending states.

The Kids Count report also highlighted economic pressures facing Washington families. The state ranked 26th in economic well-being, with 31 percent of children living in households facing a high housing-cost burden. That figure represents a two-percentage-point increase since 2019.