Gibson Ek High School

178 Students

High School 9th - 12th

School Overview

Gibson Ek High School, located in Issaquah, Washington, is a distinctive choice-based public high school that prioritizes student-led, interest-driven learning. Unlike traditional schools that rely heavily on standardized testing and rigid bells, Gibson Ek operates on a model of "Big Picture Learning." Students spend significant portions of their time outside the classroom through internships, job shadows, and community-based projects, allowing them to apply academic concepts to real-world scenarios while exploring potential career paths.

The school emphasizes a highly personalized educational environment where small advisor groups and individualized learning plans are central to the student experience. By focusing on competencies—such as communication, quantitative reasoning, and empirical reasoning—rather than just seat time, Gibson Ek fosters deep autonomy and self-advocacy. This environment is designed for students who thrive in non-traditional settings and are looking to connect their education directly to their personal passions and future goals.

178

Total Students

12.2

Full-Time Teachers

14.6

Student/Teacher Ratio

16.3%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Gibson Ek High School
Demographic	Student Count
White	120
Hispanic	18
Black	7
Asian	16
Two or More	17

White
120 (67.4 %)
Hispanic
18 (10.1 %)
Two or More
17 (9.6 %)
Asian
16 (9.0 %)
Black
7 (3.9 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	High School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	Supplemental Virtual
Shared Time Status:	N/A
District:	Issaquah School District
Phone:	(425)837-6350
Grade Range:	9th - 12th
Total Students:	178
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	12.2
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	14.6
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes participating without using any Provision or the CEO
Qualified Free Lunch:	13
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	16

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 9 57

Grade 10 58

Grade 11 33

Grade 12 30