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Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 98198

At a glance

School

604

Students

Top rankedPacific Middle School487^th of 534 Washington middle schools

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Biggest riser

Pacific Middle School up 8 spots statewide this year

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Summary:

In zip code 98198, which covers part of Des Moines, Washington, there is one public middle school, Pacific Middle School, serving grades 6 through 8 within the Highline School District.

Academic performance at Pacific Middle School is significantly below both state and district averages. For the 2024-2025 school year, only about 32% of students were proficient in English Language Arts, compared to 53% statewide, and proficiency was even lower in math (16%) and science (14%). The school's state ranking has been consistently low, placing in the bottom 12% of Washington middle schools for the last three years. While English scores show improvement from 6th to 8th grade, math scores remain stubbornly low across all grades.

Notably, the school spends a substantial amount per student—over $20,800 according to 2023-2024 data—yet these academic challenges persist. The school serves a student population with high economic need, with about 74% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The broader Highline School District itself is ranked in the lower quarter of districts statewide, suggesting Pacific Middle School's struggles may reflect wider systemic issues beyond the school itself.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				WCAS Science (2025)		SBAC English Language Arts (2025)				SBAC Math (2025)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	WCAS Science 8th Grade	WCAS Science All Grades	SBAC English Language Arts 6th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 7th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 8th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts All Grades	SBAC Math 6th Grade	SBAC Math 7th Grade	SBAC Math 8th Grade	SBAC Math All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Pacific Middle School	Public	6-8	22705 24th Ave S	Des Moines	98198	King County	Highline School District	No	No	No	Yes	(206) 631-5800	604	33	18.5	74.3%	82 (13.6%)	102 (16.9%)	221 (36.6%)	112 (18.5%)	1 (0.2%)	26 (4.3%)	58 (9.6%)	11.8	487^th of 534 public middle schools	8.8%		11.6	495^th of 535 public middle schools	7.5%	8	14.2	14.2	25.8	33.5	37.9	32.0	15.2	17.3	14.7	15.8	$20,856	$1,431	$19,425

Cities Near Zip Code 98198

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Des Moines	0.38 mi	10	225^th
SeaTac	1 mi	8	273^rd
Normandy Park	2.02 mi	1	81^st
Kent	2.16 mi	37	204^th
Burien	2.36 mi	13	235^th

See the top WA Washington cities

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Washington State Department of Health and the Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.