The top reported proficiency rate is 48% in English language arts. The lowest is 36% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Coweeman Middle School
Coweeman Middle School is a regular public school serving grades six through eight in Kelso, Washington, part of the Kelso School District. It is one of two middle schools in the district and sits on the east side of the Cowlitz River, across from the larger city of Longview. The school’s enrollment is moderate for a middle school, drawing from neighborhoods that spread eastward and into hillside areas of Kelso, a low-density, auto-oriented city that serves as the Cowlitz County seat and has an economy still tied to wood products and natural resource industries.
On state assessments from the 2024-25 school year, Coweeman’s academic results show a mixed picture that varies by subject and grade level. In English language arts, the share of students meeting proficiency standards was higher than in math across all three grades, with the strongest performance in seventh grade, where a majority of students met the bar. Sixth- and eighth-grade ELA results were close to each other, both near the midpoint. In math, scores were notably lower, particularly in sixth and eighth grades, where fewer than one in three students were proficient; seventh-grade math was stronger, with a clear majority reaching proficiency. Eighth-grade science results, from a separate state assessment, placed roughly half of students at the proficient level. Overall, when combining all tested subjects and grades into a single index, Coweeman’s proficiency performance falls in the top quartile among the six districts in Cowlitz County, meaning its composite standing is on the higher end locally even though individual subjects show variability.
The student body reflects the local community: it is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic population and smaller shares of students who identify as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, two or more races, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Black. A large share of students come from low-income households, as indicated by eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not available in the school’s reporting for this period; families may want to inquire directly with the school about special education and language support services.
Because Coweeman is a middle school that does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and no data on chronic absenteeism or discipline were available in the sources used here. The school’s academic trend data cover only a single year, so it is not yet possible to assess whether performance is improving or declining. The school operates as a regular public school and is not a charter or magnet.
Kelso itself has experienced very modest population growth in recent years, and the city’s development has been shaped by historical events such as the Aldercrest-Banyon landslide, which led to stricter hillside zoning. Housing values in the area are below the state median, and rents have been rising, though still lower than in many parts of Washington. The city’s economy is anchored by wood products, government employment at the county seat, and services. The school is located on Allen Street, near the downtown core and the Kelso Multimodal Transportation Center, which connects the area by Amtrak and local bus routes.
For a family considering Coweeman Middle School, the setting is a small city with a moderate cost of living and a community shaped by resource-industry roots. Academically, the school holds up well against others in Cowlitz County, with English language arts stronger than math, and seventh grade standing out as the strongest tested year. The high proportion of students from low-income households suggests that the school likely receives federal Title I funding, though that information was not confirmed in the data. Families may want to explore math support and enrichment options, especially for sixth and eighth graders, and to ask about course offerings and extracurriculars, which were not detailed in the available records. This is a school that fits families who are comfortable in a small-city, regionally-typical public middle school environment and who value local academic performance that is above the county median.
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