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Education inSeattle is an important part of many Seattleites' lives, particularly due to the high concentration of technology, engineering, and other jobs that require advanced degrees.[citation needed] Of the city's population over the age of 25, 53.8 percent (vs. a national average of 27.4 percent) hold abachelor's degree or higher; 91.9 percent (vs. 84.5 percent nationally) have a high school diploma orequivalent.[1] In fact, theUnited States Census Bureau surveys indicate that Seattle has one of the highest rates of college graduates among major U.S. cities.[2] In addition to the obvious institutions of education, there are significantadult literacy programs and considerablehomeschooling. Seattle is also the most literate city in the United States, based on a study done by Central Connecticut State University.[3]
Seattle is home to one of the nation's most respected public universities, theUniversity of Washington. With over 40,000 under-graduates and post-graduates, UW is the largest school in the Pacific Northwest[4] and many of its departments are ranked in the top 10 for research universities in the United States according to theChronicle of Higher Learning.[5] A study byNewsweek International in 2006 cited UW as the twenty-second best university in the world.[6] Additionally, the University of Washington was ranked 16th internationally by theAcademic Ranking of World Universities in 2008.[7]
The city's other prominent universities areSeattle University, aJesuit university, andSeattle Pacific University, aFree Methodist university.
There are also a handful of smaller schools, such as theCity University of Seattle, a private university.Antioch University Seattle provide undergraduate and graduate degrees for working adults.Cornish College of the Arts,The Art Institute of Seattle,Gage Academy of Art and theSchool of Visual Concepts offer bachelor's degrees in the fine arts as dance, music, and theatre. Seattle also has three colleges within theSeattle Colleges District system, comprisingNorth,Central, andSouth.Time magazine chose Seattle Central College for best college of the year in 2001, stating the school "pushes diverse students to work together in small teams".[8]
Since 2013,Northeastern University has a satellite graduate campus in theSouth Lake Union neighborhood.[9]
Seattle Public Schools is the school district for the vast majority of the city.[10] Itdesegregated without a court order[11] but continue to struggle to achieve racial balance in a somewhat ethnically divided city (the south part of town having more ethnic minorities than the north).[12] In 2006, a challenge to Seattle's racial tie-breaking system made it to the United States Supreme Court.[13] Where the Supreme Court decided that race was not a legal criterion for desegregation, but left the door open for desegregation formulas based on other indicators (e.g., income or socio-economic class).[14] And in 2002,West Seattle's West Seattle High School made headlines in the midst of protests of the school's "Indian" mascot. Despite bitter battles between SPS and Alumni Association President and Attorney Robert Zoffel, the school would later change its mascot to the "Wildcats".[15]
A small section of the city is in theHighline School District.[10]
Most public schools in Seattle are part of theSeattle School District, but a few in the southern portion of the city are part of theRenton School District.
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The public school system is supplemented by a moderate number of private schools: five of the high schools areCatholic, one isLutheran, and seven are secular.[16]
TheSeattle Japanese School, aJapanese weekend supplementary school, holds its classes in nearbyBellevue.[17]
