The reported proficiency rate for Science is 33%.
Original Research by School Decision on Sprague School District
The Sprague School District is a very small public school system in Lincoln County, eastern Washington, serving a rural area. It operates two schools: an elementary school and a high school, covering prekindergarten through twelfth grade. With a total enrollment that places it among the smallest in the county, the district’s student population is predominantly white, with a Hispanic minority and a smaller share of students identifying as two or more races. Information on economic disadvantage, special education, and English learner status was not available in the data.
State academic testing results are limited. For recent years, most results for individual grades in math and English language arts were suppressed, likely due to the small number of students tested. The available aggregated data for the district shows an overall proficiency rate across tested subjects and grades that falls in the bottom quartile among Lincoln County’s districts. In a single prior year of science testing at grade eight, about a third of students met the state proficiency bar. The reported math proficiency rate for all tested grades combined is modest, and the English language arts rate is higher but still below the county median. Families should be aware that the small cohort sizes mean year-to-year numbers can fluctuate and that suppression of results limits a clear picture of achievement.
Chronic absenteeism is a notable concern. The district’s rate is very high, also in the bottom quartile among county districts, meaning more than half of students miss a significant number of school days. This is a factor a prospective family would want to understand by speaking directly with the district about attendance patterns and any supports in place.
Per-pupil current spending is at the upper end for Lincoln County districts, which is typical for a small rural system where fixed costs are spread across few students. No recent district initiatives, budget changes, or program additions were found in publicly available sources; the district appears to have operated without major administrative shifts in recent years.
There is no separate locale profile available, and the district’s data does not include details on course offerings, extracurriculars, or staffing. The two schools likely share resources across the small enrollment. For a family considering moving into this area, the district offers a close-knit, small-scale school setting where students from kindergarten through high school may receive individual attention. However, the academic performance data is thin and places the district toward the lower end of the county on the measures that are available, and attendance is a significant area of concern. A parent would be well served to visit the schools, ask about how the district addresses student engagement and learning support, and request more current test results and attendance data directly from the district office.
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