Education

JBLM students that reside on Joint Base Lewis McChord are served by the Clover Park School District. There are six elementary schools on the base: five on Lewis Main and Lewis North locations and one on McChord Field. Middle and high school students living on Lewis Main or Lewis North are bused to Dr. Claudia Thomas Middle School (grades 6-8) and Lakes High School (grades 9-12). Middle and high school students living on McChord Field are bused to Dr. Claudia Thomas Middle School (grades 6-8) and Lakes High School (grades 9-12) or may transfer to Harrison Preparatory (grades 6-12).

On Base

On-base schools are part of the Clover Park Public School District. There are six elementary schools on JBLM. In Washington, a child must be 5 on/before August 31 to attend kindergarten unless they have attended kindergarten in another state that permits earlier entrance. A child must be six years old on/before August 31 to attend first grade or must have completed kindergarten. Middle and high school students living on-base attend school off-base. These students are bused to the school designated by where the student lives. Middle school students living on Lewis Main, Lewis North and McChord Field will attend Thomas Middle School. High school students living on Lewis Main and Lewis North will attend Lakes High School. High school students living on McChord field will attend Clover Park High School. Students who may be looking for an academic challenge (grades 6-12) may want to consider Harrison Preparatory School in the City of Lakewood.

On-base students can register for school online at the Clover Park School District website under the enroll link. For more information about Clover Park School District, please call 253-583-5000/5042/5041.

Off Base

School aged children living off-base will attend schools in the district in which they are zoned. Washington is a boundary state, so the student's physical address has a school and school district associated with it. Many of the districts off-post have K-5 elementary schools, grades 6-8 middle schools and grades 9-12 high schools, but there are some that have K-6 elementary schools, grades 7-9 junior high, and grades 10-12 high schools. Reach out to the district in which you are looking to live to inquire about the configurations for that district.

Enrollment Requirements by law are as follows:

• Birth Certificate if entering kindergarten or public school for the first time.
• Transcripts from previous school(s) attended
• Immunization Records
• IEP (Individual Education Plan); if applicable
• Proof of Residence

Children coming to JBLM with an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan must present the current IEP/504 Plan to the school upon registration of the child into the school system.

Each school district is different in grading scales, meals, before and after school programs, sports, and SPED programs. Please check with the school itself to discuss the options available for that particular school. You may find a list of school districts on the school liaison website.

Dress Code

On-base schools operated by the Clover Park School District have no set dress code. Each school has a guideline for dress code based on the staff, parents and students of the school. The Clover Park School District does not endorse school uniforms at this time and if further information is needed, the school district can be accessed by going to their website.

Off base schools requiring uniform dress are minimal. Please check school website.

Extracurricular Activities

The schools on-base have some after school programs, but the majority of after school programming is offered through Child & Youth Services (School Age Center –SAC) such as before and after school programs to include sports for grades K-5. The middle school and high school students have a variety of activities to choose from. Students are required to have a current physical signed by a doctor and maintain passing grades in order to participate in sports. 

More than 500 private schools operate in the state of Washington. Private schools must be annually approved by the State Board of Education. A private school is a nonpublic school that conducts a program of kindergarten and at least grade one, or a program of any or all grades one through twelve. Private schools must be approved by the State Board of Education as offering a program that ensures a sufficient basic education to meet usual graduation requirements and that meets reasonable standards for the health and safety of private school students. 

For more information about private schools and to see the list of state approved private schools in your area, please visit The Washington State Board of Education website.

Washington State requires a letter of intent to homeschool that is filed with the school district where the student resides. If the student will require any additional training or education in the public school setting, such as advanced science or math, the student must be enrolled in the district. For more information, please visit the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) website.

Each candidate for high school graduation in the state of Washington must have completed the equivalent of a four-year program of educational growth in grades 9-12. Each school district has a list of credits that are required to receive a high school diploma. Credits must meet the requirements of the state and the district.

To earn a high school diploma, a student must:

• Earn the high school credits required
• Pass state tests or approved alternatives to those tests
• Complete a Culminating Project
• Complete a High School and Beyond Plan

For more information on graduation requirements, visit the OSPI website (http://www.k12.wa.us/) 

If you have questions about the school or policies, call the school liaison officer at 253-967-7195