| Washington High School | |
| Address: | 7340 Leavenworth Road |
| City: | Kansas City |
| State: | Kansas |
| Zipcode: | 66109 |
| Country: | United States |
| Coordinates: | 39.1436°N -94.749°W |
| District: | Kansas City USD 500 |
| Schooltype: | Public high school |
| Enrollment: | 1,227 (2023-2024) |
| Grades: | 9 to 12 |
| Campus: | Urban |
| Principal: | Cole Amaya |
| Athletics Conference: | KCK-Atchison League |
| Athletics: | 5A |
| Colors: | Maroon White |
| Rival: | Wyandotte High School, F. L. Schlagle High School, J. C. Harmon High School, Sumner Academy of Arts and Science |
| Mascot: | Wildcats |
| Newspaper: | Washingtonian |
| Yearbook: | Hatchet |
| Established: | 1932 |
Washington High School is a public high school located in Kansas City, Kansas, United States. It serves students in grades 9 through 12 and is operated by the Kansas City USD 500 school district
On January 4, 1932 Washington High School (originally named Washington Rural High School) opened on Leavenworth Road in the northwest part of Wyandotte County, Kansas. The school was named after the first United States President George Washington.[1] [2] The new high school formed from the creation of Rural High School District #2 of Wyandotte County[3]
Washington Rural High School's attendance area abutted the west boundary of the Kansas City, Kansas School District, but was outside the city limits of Kansas City, Kansas. The Washington attendance area population grew rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s for two reasons. First was the post-World War II baby boom with middle-class families moving into the area. The second reason was the commencement of white flight from Kansas City, Kansas.[4]
In 1962, due to a new Kansas law that required the merger of elementary school districts and high school districts to provide "unified" K-12 districts, Washington High School District USD 201 was formed. But by 1965, with rapid population growth and an urgent need for new schools, the new school district faced a financial crisis. Due to the lack of a strong industrial/ commercial tax base and comparatively low residential property values, the district did not have the available tax base and corresponding tax revenues to fund its capital needs to expand.
The Washington District responded to its challenging situation by authorizing an election in 1966 to decide if USD 201 would be absorbed by Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools. That election measure narrowly passed, resulting in USD 500 annexing USD 201 in 1967.[5]
The resulting expanded USD 500 district responded to the overcrowding at Washington High School by opening F. L. Schlagle High School three miles away at 59th Street and Parallel Parkway in 1972.[6]
Washington is a part of the Kansas State High School Activities Association 5A classification[7] The school offers many sports and activities, including: Volleyball, Girls Basketball, Boys Basketball, Football,[8] Wrestling, Baseball, Softball, Girls Soccer, Boys Soccer, Bowling, Track and Field, Cross Country, Scholars Bowl, Forensics, Debate, Robotics, and Choral Music.[9]
Washington High School has two team Kansas State High School State Championships which were in 5A-1A boys bowling in both 2010 and 2011.[10] [11] [12]