Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 98002

This analysis covers three public middle schools (grades 6-8) in the 98002 zip code of Auburn, Washington, all part of the Auburn School District.

Among these three schools, Mt Baker Middle School stands out as the highest performer, ranking significantly higher statewide and showing stronger proficiency rates in English, math, and science. It also reports a lower rate of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch compared to the other two schools. Cascade Middle School and Olympic Middle School have similar, lower rankings and academic performance, with both schools facing greater challenges in math proficiency.

All three schools perform below Washington state averages, particularly in mathematics, and belong to a district that ranks in the bottom third statewide. A notable trend is that math scores tend to decline in the higher grades, even at the top-performing school. While per-student spending is similar across the schools, the data suggests that factors beyond funding contribute to the performance differences, with Mt Baker Middle School demonstrating stronger outcomes across key academic metrics.