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#1727 of 2,228 schools in WA

Highlands Middle School

Middle School · Kennewick School District · Kennewick, WA

A Kennewick School District middle school where students score 4 points below what's typical for similar communities.

425 SOUTH TWEEDT STREET, Kennewick, WA 99336

  • Math 19% vs WA 38% (2024)
  • Reading 32% vs WA 49% (2024)
  • 16.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress6.4Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-1.51 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics4.2Below Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency18.7% (2024 SBA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency31.8% (2024 SBA)
Math vs. State Avg-19.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-15.7 pts
Overall Proficiency25% (2024 SBA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)29% (model expectation from 2024 SBA)
vs. Expected-4.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile23th
Resources & Environment4.0Below Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16.4:1
District spending per student$15,202
Chronic Absenteeism53.7%

Students at Highlands Middle School score 25% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 29%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 SBA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. WA average.

Math Proficiency19%(2024 SBA)
School
State
38%(2024 SBA)
ELA Proficiency32%(2024 SBA)
School
State
49%(2024 SBA)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 8 points since 2018, to 25% in 2024, across a 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 13 years
2009
Math
40%
ELA
52%
2010
Math
35%
ELA
48%
2011
Math
38%
ELA
59%
2012
Math
31%
ELA
49%
2013
Math
37%
ELA
53%
2014
Math
27%
ELA
40%
2015
Math
28%
ELA
43%
2016
Math
25%
ELA
35%
2017
Math
29%
ELA
42%
2018
Math
26%
ELA
41%
2019
Math
26%
ELA
41%
2022
Math
16%
ELA
31%
2024
Math
19%
ELA
32%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 27% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 41% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 34 test records from WA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

75.8%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Highlands Middle School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 50Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 43Some Transit
  • Bike 42Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,832/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Kennewick), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$63,308

Median home value

$292,300

Median rent

$1,155/mo

College educated

21.3%

Homeownership

49.3%

Poverty rate

17.1%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 99336; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Mid-columbia Parent PartnershipEnrollment path unverified4.5K–121.4 mi465Compare →
Chinook Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.76–81.5 mi919Compare →
Park Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.36–82.2 mi687Compare →
Horse Heaven Hills Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.46–82.3 mi850Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Kennewick School District

Schools in district
33
Rank in district
#20 of 29
District spending per student
$15,202NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
11.8%Census SAIPE · 2024

Highlands Middle School is listed in Kennewick School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Highlands Middle School

Highlands Middle School is a public middle school in Kennewick, WA, part of Kennewick School District, serving approximately 723 students in grades 6th-8th with a 16.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.0 out of 10 and ranks #1,727 of 2,228 schools in WA. State assessment records show 27% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 41% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Highlands Middle School

What grades does Highlands Middle School serve?

Highlands Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Highlands Middle School?

Highlands Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 723 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Highlands Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Highlands Middle School is 16.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Highlands Middle School rank in WA?

Highlands Middle School ranks #1,727 of 2,228 schools in WA.

What is Highlands Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Highlands Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.0 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Highlands Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Highlands Middle School has 27% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 41% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Highlands Middle School a charter school?

No, Highlands Middle School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Highlands Middle School a Title I school?

No, Highlands Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Highlands Middle School?

75.8% of students at Highlands Middle School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
723
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
44
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Benton County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
53.7%
Area population (ZIP 99336)
51,180
Area average commute
21.9 min
Area median age
34.2
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 SBA · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 SBA · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 99336; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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