Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 98466

This analysis examines two middle schools serving grades 4-8 in the 98466 zip code of Washington, which are located in different, neighboring school districts.

Narrows View Intermediate is a consistently top-performing school ranked in the 95th percentile statewide, with student proficiency in English, math, and science significantly exceeding both district and state averages. It operates within the highly-ranked University Place School District. In contrast, Wainwright Intermediate School, part of the Tacoma School District, has struggled with below-average rankings and proficiency rates that generally fall below state benchmarks, particularly in mathematics.

A notable finding is that Wainwright spends considerably more per student than Narrows View, yet has lower academic outcomes, highlighting that funding alone does not guarantee performance. The district context appears influential, as the school in the higher-performing district outperforms the one in the lower-ranked district. Parents should note that both schools show relative strength in science, but Narrows View demonstrates remarkable consistency across grade levels while Wainwright's results, especially in math, vary widely from year to year.