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Touchet School District
All Roads Lead to Touchet
Touchet School District is a K-12 school in southeastern Washington in Walla Walla County. Located 17 miles west of Walla Walla along State Highway 12, the district encompasses approximately 340 square miles. The Touchet community is a rural unincorporated area whose primary sources of revenue are agriculturally based.
The student population consists of approximately 60% White, 31% Hispanic, and 9% other. Free and reduced breakfast/lunch participation is 50%.
The current school budget is 2.9 million dollars. The assessed valuation of property on which the school levies are based is $248,013,585. The 2005 levy assessment is $1.94 per thousand for a total of $542,395. The 2006 levy assessment will have $1.99 per thousand for a collection of $558,395. Current bond indebtedness is $3.9 million which is scheduled to be paid off in 2021. In the past, Touchet has qualified for generous levy equalization monies. But, due to a recent wind turbine project and a resulting rise in property values, those equalization funds are no longer available.
Although the Touchet School District encompasses a wide area, only three bus routes currently provide transportation. Because the community is bisected by the state highway, many of our students who live within walking distance of the school are transported by bus for safety reasons. There is also a van equipped for transporting physically handicapped students.
The campus of Touchet School District has undergone many changes in the last decade. The elementary building, which was constructed in the early 1960’s, has undergone two upgrades. The first one, completed in 1995, added two classrooms and a multipurpose room. The second was completed in 2003 with two additional classrooms, new cafeteria and a gym/locker room remodel. The secondary building, finished in 1976, has had technology and electrical upgrades but no instructional space remodeling.
Enrollment has been increasing over the past several years, which necessitated the expansion projects. Student enrollment for grades K-5 is 127 students, and grades 6-12 is 177, for a total of 304 students. Touchet School District employs two full-time administrators: a superintendent and a K-12 principal. The certificated staff count is currently at 21.67 FTE’s, and the classified staff count is at thirty members.
Touchet School District houses a variety of programs. A parent cooperative preschool sponsored by Walla Walla Community College is allocated space in the elementary wing. There is also an after school Adventure Club providing daycare for our elementary students. Another after school program is funded by a 21st Century grant. This program offers enrichment activities for at-risk students. Gear-Up is a similar program providing academic assistance for students in grades 6-9. Other special programs include: Academy of Reading, English Language Learners (ELL) (serving 31 students or 10% of our student population), Special Education (serving 27 students or 9% of our student population), and an intervention specialist is also available to assist students as needed.
The general education program has been a focus in our curriculum review and adoption cycle. The Washington State’s Essential Academic Learning Requirements as well as the Federal “No Child Left Behind” Law have guided our restructuring efforts. In addition to the core curriculum, Touchet School District provides a variety of electives to enhance the educational experience of its students.
Extra-curricular activities are an integral part of the opportunities provided to our students. Besides athletics, students may participate in Future Business Leaders of America, Knowledge Bowl, Honor Society, Future Farmers of America, Yearbook/Newspaper, Band, Drama, and Associated Student Body.
An important key for successful operation of our school district is an innovative technology framework. There are approximately 170 computer stations utilizing two network servers. Students have ready access to the world wide web of information via classrooms, library, and computer labs. The newest technology includes closed circuit television in the classrooms as well as broadcast capabilities throughout the school.
In summation, Touchet is an extremely small, rural school, serving a limited number of students who have a wide-ranging variety of needs. We are continually striving to meet all children’s needs through a rigorous researched based curriculum, upgrading facilities, acquiring emerging technologies, and providing a knowledgeable, dedicated and caring staff.

The contents of this page are maintained by Dan McDonald. For questions, comments, or corrections, please use this email link or the webmaster link below. .