Best Public Schools in Zip Code 98354

ZIP code 98354 includes two public schools in Milton, both part of the Fife School District. The schools serve different grade levels: Discovery Primary School serves prekindergarten through grade 2, while Surprise Lake Middle School serves grades 6 and 7. Together, they enroll 1,119 students, but the ZIP-code list does not include schools for grades 3–5 or 8–12.

Discovery Primary School has 506 students, a 15.8-to-1 student-teacher ratio, and reported spending of $21,999 per student. Surprise Lake Middle School is somewhat larger, with 613 students, but reports a higher 21.9-to-1 student-teacher ratio and lower spending of $14,717 per student. These differences should be viewed carefully because the schools serve different age groups and may have different staffing and program needs. Discovery’s available information does not include academic assessment results, so the data does not support a direct academic comparison between the two schools. Both schools share the same district rating: 2 stars, ranking 132nd of 238 districts.

Surprise Lake Middle School showed positive movement in the latest year, rising from the 29th to the 41st percentile and from a 1-star to a 2-star rating. English Language Arts proficiency increased to 45.63%, nearly matching the district’s 45.97%, while math proficiency rose to 30.46%. Both results remain below state averages of 52.81% in ELA and 43.11% in math. Seventh-grade math is the clearest area needing attention: 26.03% of students were proficient, compared with 34.47% in sixth grade and 41.31% statewide. Overall, the school is improving, but math—especially in seventh grade—remains the most important academic concern.