Middle Schools in Bethel School District

The Bethel School District has six middle schools serving grades 6–8 during the 2025–26 school year, with 4,274 students across the district. Average enrollment is about 712 students, ranging from 605 at Cougar Mountain Middle School to 857 at Liberty Middle School. Overall, English language arts is the strongest subject, while math is the biggest districtwide challenge. The schools vary considerably in academic performance, but all improved their state ranking compared with the previous year.

Cougar Mountain Middle School has the strongest overall academic profile, ranking second among the district’s schools and leading in ELA and science. Its science proficiency of 54.17% is the only result above the Washington average. Spanaway Middle School has the strongest math performance, including especially good sixth- and seventh-grade results, and holds the highest current ranking. Liberty Middle School has shown the most dramatic recent science improvement and a major ranking gain. Frontier Middle School stands out for sixth-grade ELA and slightly above-district science performance, while Bethel Middle School has comparatively strong eighth-grade results.

Cedarcrest Middle School is the main area of concern, ranking sixth and trailing the other schools in ELA, math, and science. Its eighth-grade math proficiency is particularly low, suggesting a need for broad schoolwide support rather than a single-subject intervention. Parents comparing schools should also consider grade-level differences: Spanaway Middle School is much stronger in sixth- and seventh-grade math than in eighth grade, Bethel Middle School improves in eighth-grade math, and Frontier Middle School has a notable decline in ELA across the grades. Across the district, improving math instruction and maintaining recent science gains are important priorities.