Summary:
ZIP code 99323 has one middle school, Columbia Middle School, serving students in grades 6–8 in Burbank, Washington. The school enrolls 174 students and is part of the Columbia (Walla Walla) School District. With no other middle schools in the ZIP code, families comparing options locally will primarily be evaluating this school’s academic results, student support, and fit for their child.
Columbia Middle School has several encouraging signs, especially in science. In 2025–2026, 42% of students were proficient in science, about 7 percentage points above the district rate and substantially higher than the school’s previous-year result of 23.88%. Eighth grade was generally the strongest-performing grade, with 37.25% proficient in English language arts, 27.45% in math, and 42% in science. The school also improved modestly in ELA, rising to 31.88% proficiency from 27.81% the prior year. Its student-teacher ratio was 15.8 to 1, and enrollment is small enough that families may value the potential for a close-knit school community.
The main concern is that overall achievement remains well below Washington state averages, particularly in math and ELA. Only 21.6% of students were proficient in math, with 7th grade lowest at 17.86%; 7th grade was also the weakest in ELA at 26.79%. Math performance was nearly unchanged from the previous year, making it an important area for improvement. The school serves a community in which 59.2% of students qualified for free or reduced-price lunch, a factor families may consider when asking about academic support and resources. The district ranks near the lower end statewide, while the school’s latest ranking improved to the 20th percentile. Overall, parents should expect significant academic needs but can also point to meaningful recent progress, especially in science.
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