Chief Umtuch Middle, Battle Ground WA

Original Research by School Decision on Chief Umtuch Middle

Chief Umtuch Middle serves students in fifth through eighth grade as a regular public school within the Battle Ground School District. The school sits in the city of Battle Ground, a suburban community in north Clark County that functions as the commercial and social hub for the surrounding area. The city has seen steady growth over recent decades, with a population that has increased substantially as the area attracts new residents. The district, however, is navigating a difficult budget period after voters rejected a replacement Educational Programs and Operations levy in 2025. As of early 2026, Battle Ground Public Schools was the only district in southwest Washington without such a levy, leading to budget cuts that affect programs and staffing. This financial backdrop is worth noting for any family considering the school.

State assessment data from the most recent school year shows a mixed academic picture. Across tested grades, proficiency in English language arts, math, and science falls in a range that places the school below the midpoint among districts in Clark County. The strongest results appear in seventh-grade math and ELA, where a clear majority of students met the bar. Fifth-grade science also stands out with a majority of students proficient. Elsewhere, the results are softer. Eighth-grade proficiency rates in both math and ELA are notably lower, as is eighth-grade science. These patterns suggest that the school may face challenges maintaining performance as students move into the upper middle school grades. A parent may want to ask the school about how it supports academic growth across these transition years. Because only one year of state assessment data was available, there is no way to see whether these results reflect a trend or a one-year snapshot.

The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Hispanic students and students who identify with two or more races. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a moderate level of economic diversity. Information on students with disabilities and English learners was not reported in the data available, so a family with a child in either of those groups would want to contact the school directly about specific supports. The school’s overall enrollment is moderate for a middle school serving four grade levels, which can allow for a sense of community while still offering a range of peer interactions.

Outside the classroom, Battle Ground provides a suburban setting with twenty-two parks, a community center, and a public library. The area has a growing wine industry and retains some agricultural character. The housing market in the zip code served by the school reflects home values that are roughly on par with the statewide benchmark and above the national median. Rent levels follow a similar pattern. These housing costs, combined with the recent district levy outcome, mean that families weighing the school should consider both the local cost of living and the potential impact of reduced district funding on course offerings, class sizes, and extracurricular activities. No information on the school’s own program offerings, from advanced coursework to electives to athletics, was available in the data, so a prospective family should seek that information directly from the school.

Chief Umtuch Middle is a suburban public middle school in a district that is under financial strain, with student performance that sits below the county average and shows variation across grades and subjects. It may fit a family that values a mid-sized school in a growing community, but the recent levy situation and the softer results in the upper grades are subjects worth exploring further with the school and district.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 544%

School 44% · District 36% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 644%

School 44% · District 42% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 757%

School 57% · District 43% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 831%

School 31% · District 37% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 552%

School 52% · District 50% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Grade 643%

School 43% · District 49% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 758%

School 58% · District 51% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

Grade 837%

School 37% · District 48% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Science

Grade 557%

School 57% · District 51% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 840%

School 40% · District 42% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

This schoolBattle Ground School District, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 4Lower-income29%Higher-income55%25 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income28%Higher-income65%37 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income38%Higher-income46%8 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income48%Higher-income64%16 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income16%Higher-income52%36 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 4Lower-income20%Higher-income51%32 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income32%Higher-income51%20 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income35%Higher-income50%15 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income50%Higher-income60%10 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income9%Higher-income46%37 pp gap