Summary
Nisqually Middle School is a public school in Lacey, Washington, serving 789 students in grades 6–8 as part of North Thurston Public Schools. It serves a relatively economically diverse community, with 51.33% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. The school’s student-teacher ratio is 18.0, and its 2025–2026 statewide ranking placed it in the 33rd percentile, or 344th out of 514 Washington middle schools.
The school’s recent direction is encouraging, although its overall results remain below local and statewide benchmarks. Nisqually’s ranking improved from the 19th–24th percentile in earlier years to the 33rd percentile in 2025–2026, and science proficiency rose to 41.20%, its highest result in the four-year data series. However, current proficiency was 43.15% in English language arts, 24.26% in math, and 41.20% in science—below both district and state results. Math is the clearest challenge across all grades: proficiency was 22.18% in sixth grade, 23.83% in seventh grade, and 26.96% in eighth grade. ELA was stronger, particularly in eighth grade, but seventh-grade performance remained a notable weakness.
Nisqually ranked below nearby North Thurston schools in all three subjects. For example, Chinook Middle School had higher ELA, math, and science proficiency, as did Komachin Middle School and Salish Middle School. The contrast with Aspire Performing Arts Academy was especially large, though Aspire is smaller and serves a different student population. Overall, the data suggest a school making meaningful progress from a low base, with the greatest opportunities in schoolwide math improvement, seventh-grade ELA, continued science gains, and stronger support for students receiving special education services, students from low-income households, military-connected students, multiracial students, and boys.
Thank you for your feedback!