Education

Accreditation by the State

Accreditation in Washington State is voluntary. The State Board of Education has authority to grant state-recognized accreditation status only to private schools.

Number of Schools in the area:

A 40 mile radius of the base encompasses two states, 5 counties, 15 school districts and a total of 150 schools. There are no Department of Defense schools on base or in the area.

Fairchild AFB is located in the Medical Lake School District - the district has 2 elementary schools (1 located on the base), 1 middle school, and 1 high school and 1 alternative high school. Military and civilian personnel stationed at Fairchild AFB may choose to have their children in grades kindergarten thru fifth attend elementary school on-base, whether they live on or off the base. It also offers free part-day three and four year-old preschool programs for personnel residing on Fairchild AFB (military personnel who reside off-base may pay).

There are several private schools, offering education from pre-school through high school. Talk with the School Liaison Officer for private school details.

In Washington, students may attend the school of their choice, regardless of whether or not they reside in that school zone. However, the school is not responsible for transportation for a student who does not reside within the districts boundaries. Other restriction may apply.

Transportation

All school districts provide a form of transportation - no cost to the student; some require that the student live at least one mile from school. The majority of the schools in the area also provide transportation for after school programs at no cost to the student.

Meals

All Washington public schools provide lunch service to their students, following dietary guidelines provided by the USDA. The price of the meals is dependent on the school and the income of the family. Many schools in the area provide free and reduced meals. Some school districts in the area have a summer meal program.

Before and after school programs

Some schools provide before and after school care. Many of the schools provide after school programs, but not child care. Some of the programs offered include: Spanish enrichment, volleyball, physical education, arts/crafts, homework time, gym time, and outdoor recreation. Contact a specific school for details. (Before and After School care is available at the Youth Center on base; see the Child Care section for details)

School Sports Programs

A number of the elementary schools in the area offer intramural sports programs. Middle and High school programs offer competitive sport programs that compete across schools in the same size ranking. Example of school sports programs include: football, soccer, softball, basketball, and track and field.

Exceptional Child Programs

Many schools offer exceptional child programs. These programs could include: vocal and instrumental, honors, and advanced placement opportunities. Because of the large number of schools, it is recommended to find out specifics of a particular school you are interested in.

Home Schooling Information

Washington State has fairly strict guidelines for homeschoolers. Parents interested in the Washington State organization for homeschoolers should visit their website.

Many of the school districts in the area offer enrichment programs for home schooled students.

Washington schools average about 23 students per teacher. For information on enrollment size within the system and pupil/teacher ratio, please use the websites to contact the individual schools.

For School Report Cards please utilize the OSPI website for information on district and individual school report cards.

A 75 mile radius of the base encompasses 3 counties, 11 school districts and a total of 108 schools. There are no Department of Defense schools in the area. Fairchild AFB is located in the Medical Lake School District - the district has 2 elementary schools (1 located on the base), 1 middle school, and 1 high school. Military and civilian personnel stationed at Fairchild AFB may choose to have their children in grades kindergarten thru fifth grade attend elementary school on-base, whether they live on or off the base. It also offers free part-day three and four year-old preschool programs for personnel residing on Fairchild AFB (military personnel who reside off-base may pay).

•Spokane County Homepage (www.spokanecounty.org/) - Go to Living Here, then to Schools and Education •Medical Lake School District - website www.mlsd.org/ •Cheney School District website - www.cheneysd.org/ •Educational Service District 101•Washington State Board of Education - www.sbe.wa.gov/ •Washington Homeschool Organization/ -https://washhomeschool.org/

There are many educational opportunities for adults, on- and off-base. The Education Center on base is state-of-the-art and boasts 22 classrooms. Off-base opportunities are abundant, at all levels and in all areas. Spokane has a mix of public universities, private colleges and community colleges. See the section Education-Training (College/Technical) for more information.

There is no fixed grading policy for the state of Washington - it is specific to the school. The responsibility for administering the grading policy lies with the principal of each school, under the direction of the superintendent. The teacher is responsible for individual student evaluation.

Unique Opportunities

Information on special schools (i.e. for Montessori, and The Enrichment Cooperative for homeschoolers, charter schools) may be found on individual school or district websites.

Families needing individual assistance with school questions may contact the School Liaison Officer at 509-247-2559.