Summary:
Garfield School District is a small Washington district serving 127 students across three schools: Garfield Elementary (PK–5), Garfield Middle School (6–8), and Garfield at Palouse High School (9–12). The district ranks in the 73rd percentile statewide, and its schools offer very small class environments, though reported student–teacher ratios vary considerably. Economic need is present across all three schools, with free or reduced-price lunch rates ranging from about 49% to 65%.
Garfield Elementary is the district’s clearest academic strength. In 2025–26, 63% of students were proficient in English language arts and 59% in math, exceeding both district and state results in the reported subjects. The school also improved from the prior year, despite having the district’s highest FRL rate. Garfield at Palouse High School has mixed results: its 2025–26 science proficiency was 55%, above the state rate, while math was 36%, close to the district average but below the state. Its stronger 2024–25 results show that outcomes can change noticeably from one class of students to another.
Garfield Middle School is the main area for improvement. Only 20% of students were proficient in math and 37% in English language arts in 2025–26, both well below district and state levels. Math was also below 18% the previous year, making middle school mathematics the clearest priority. Parents may wish to ask about math intervention, the transition from elementary school, and curriculum continuity. Because enrollment is very small, percentages can shift substantially when only a few students change results, and suppressed figures should be treated as unavailable rather than poor performance.
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