Summary:
ZIP code 98058 has two public middle schools—Northwood Middle School and Meeker Middle School—serving grades 6–8 in the Kent School District. Both schools enroll several hundred students and use the same state assessments, making their results relatively easy to compare.
Northwood Middle School is the clear academic standout. In 2025–2026, 53.05% of students were proficient in English Language Arts, 43.72% in math, and 51.99% in science. These results were above both district and Washington state averages, and the school ranked in the 67th percentile statewide with a three-star rating. Northwood’s performance has been fairly stable in recent years. It also had a lower student-teacher ratio than Meeker, at 20.6 compared with 22.1, which may support more individual attention. For families comparing the two local options, Northwood offers the stronger overall academic record across every tested subject and grade.
Meeker Middle School is the school needing the closest attention. Its 2025–2026 proficiency rates were 37.16% in English Language Arts, 25.55% in math, and 36.29% in science—below both district and state averages. Math is the most significant concern, with results about 18 percentage points below Northwood and an eight-point decline from the prior year. Meeker’s statewide ranking also fell to the 27th percentile and its one-star rating reflects weaker overall performance. The schools serve different student populations economically, with a substantially higher free-or-reduced-price lunch participation rate at Meeker, so results should be viewed in context. Still, the consistent academic gap makes math, followed by English Language Arts, the most important areas for families to investigate when considering Meeker.
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