The Lake Washington School District, the state's fifth-largest, serves one of the wealthiest and technologically savvy areas in the Puget Sound region, including Redmond, Kirkland and Sammamish. It has a nationally recognized curriculum, a variety of school choices and some of the highest test scores in the state.

Eleven schools are being renovated and a new elementary school has been built, plus schools have received technology upgrades, as a result of ballot measures approved by voters in 2006.

Superintendent: Chip Kimball took over in June, 2007, replacing Don Saul, who retired.

Alternative/home school programs: BEST High School, Family Learning Center.

The numbers: 2.3% African-American, 14.7% Asian-American, 6.6% Hispanic, .6% Native American, 3% multi-racial, 72.4% White, 12% low-income, 9.5% special-education, 3.6% ESL.

Funding: A four-year, $157.5 million operations levy; a four-year, $64.7 million capital projects levy; and a 20-year, $436 million bond measure were approved in 2006.