Summary:
ZIP code 98823 has two middle schools, both in Ephrata and part of the Ephrata School District: Parkway School, serving grades 5–6, and Ephrata Middle School, serving grades 7–8. Together, they enroll 868 students and serve similar communities, with free- or reduced-price lunch rates of about 57% to 59%. Because the schools serve different age groups, parents should be cautious when comparing results directly.
Parkway School has the stronger current overall academic profile. In 2025–26, it exceeded the district average in English language arts, math, and science, with especially strong results in science and math. Its sixth-grade math proficiency rate was 40.38%, slightly above both district and state results. Parkway also has a lower student–teacher ratio, 18.5:1 compared with 20.5:1 at Ephrata Middle School. However, Parkway’s performance declined from the prior year, particularly in ELA, which fell 7.36 percentage points. Even with its current strengths, Parkway remains below statewide results in all three subjects.
Ephrata Middle School performs best in ELA, where it is above the district average, but its math results are a significant concern. Overall math proficiency was 29.88%, and eighth-grade math was only 23.08%, well below seventh-grade math and the statewide eighth-grade rate. Ephrata also experienced year-over-year declines in all three subjects and reports higher spending per student, at $16,534 versus Parkway’s $15,329. For families, the most important questions are how Ephrata is addressing eighth-grade math, why both schools remain below state averages, and how Parkway plans to reverse its ELA decline.
Thank you for your feedback!