The top reported proficiency rate is 34% in English language arts. The lowest is 25% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on North Pines Middle School
North Pines Middle School serves grades six through eight in the Spokane Valley portion of the Central Valley School District. It is a regular public school, neither a charter nor a magnet, and sits in a sprawling suburban setting east of Spokane proper. The school is part of a district that runs thirty-two schools and operates on a General Fund budget that reflects the scale of a sizable suburban system; a replacement levy for educational programs and operations was recently passed by local voters, supporting maintenance and day-to-day costs without funding new construction.
On state assessments taken during the 2024-25 school year, North Pines posted proficiency rates that place it among the lower-performing middle schools when measured against other districts in Spokane County. In math, roughly a quarter of students met the state standard in sixth grade, a similar share in seventh, and just over a fifth in eighth grade. English language arts results were somewhat higher but still modest: approximately a third of students were proficient at each grade level. Eighth-grade science proficiency came in at about a quarter of students. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index fell into the bottom quartile among Spokane County districts. A parent looking at these numbers may want to ask the school what academic supports are in place and how the school works to raise achievement, especially in math, where the rates are noticeably low.
The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Hispanic, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and multiracial students, along with very small populations of Black, American Indian, and Asian students. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a community with significant economic need. The school enrolls several hundred students, with each grade from sixth through eighth carrying a comparable load. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the materials reviewed, so those dimensions of the school’s support structure are unclear from this record. Similarly, information on discipline, staffing ratios, and chronic absenteeism was absent; families may wish to ask the school directly about those areas.
Spokane Valley itself is the largest suburb of Spokane, formed from a collection of formerly unincorporated communities like Dishman and Opportunity. It does not have a traditional walkable downtown; instead, civic and commercial life is spread along major arterials such as Sprague Avenue, with the Spokane Valley Mall and auto dealerships anchoring the retail base. The city maintains a network of parks and recreational trails, including segments of the Centennial Trail along the Spokane River and the Appleway Trail, but the overall built environment is auto-oriented. Housing values in the area are moderate relative to state and national benchmarks, and rents are substantial enough that the estimated cost of renting is below a typical mortgage payment, which may matter to families choosing between renting and buying near the school.
The Central Valley School District’s funding relies partly on local property taxes through the EP&O levy, which supports operations without adding to construction capacity. That levy was replaced recently, so homeowners in the district may have seen a shift in their tax bills. The district’s budget is large enough to serve a student population in the thousands across elementary, middle, and high schools, but how resources flow to North Pines specifically is not detailed in the available data.
North Pines Middle School fits a family looking for a regular public middle school in a sprawling suburban environment where the student body is economically diverse and where academic outcomes are below the county average. The school’s size is manageable for its grade band, and its location in Spokane Valley puts it within reach of the city’s retail corridors, parks, and trail system. However, the proficiency numbers are a clear soft spot, and the absence of information about special education services, discipline, and attendance means a parent should follow up with the school directly to get a fuller picture of day-to-day conditions and supports.
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