Summary:
Palouse School District in Washington serves middle school students in grades 6-8 through a single school, Palouse at Garfield Middle School, a small rural school of 34 students where about 38% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
This school demonstrates a notable split in academic performance: students excel in English Language Arts (ELA), with 70% proficiency overall—well above the state average—and an impressive 80% proficiency in 8th grade. However, math proficiency is a significant area for improvement, at 26.67%, which is below both district and state averages. This creates a substantial performance gap between the two core subjects.
Historically, the school has earned high ratings, including 4-star rankings in recent years, though its 2024-2025 ranking of 171 out of 534 Washington middle schools (3 stars) shows a gradual decline in its relative standing over the past three years. For parents, this indicates a school with clear strengths in reading and writing within a small, supportive environment, but one that faces distinct challenges in mathematics instruction that are being actively addressed.
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