The top reported proficiency rate is 49% in English language arts. The lowest is 34% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Lincoln Middle School
Lincoln Middle School serves seventh and eighth graders in Clarkston, a small riverfront city that sits across the Snake River from Lewiston, Idaho. The school is a regular public middle school and the only one in the Clarkston School District, feeding into the single high school. The community is a compact working town anchored by the Port of Clarkston, with grain barges, river cruises, and agriculture—especially wheat—as the economic backbone. The city’s population has been essentially flat to slightly declining in recent years, and housing is relatively affordable compared to many parts of Washington. Most households own their homes, and the average commute is short.
The student body at Lincoln is moderate in size for a two-grade middle school. The majority of students are white, with a notable Hispanic population and smaller shares of students who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black, or multiracial. More than half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a measure of economic need. Data on the share of students with individualized education plans or English learner status was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.
State assessment results from the most recent school year show a mixed picture. In English language arts, roughly half of seventh graders and a similar share of eighth graders met the state’s proficiency standard. In math, proficiency rates were lower, with about three out of ten seventh graders and slightly more than a third of eighth graders reaching the bar. On the eighth-grade science assessment, about four out of ten students scored proficient. Compared to the two school districts in Asotin County, Lincoln’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades is above the midpoint. Keep in mind that this is a single year of data, so there is no trend to observe yet.
The school itself is a traditional public middle school, not a charter or magnet. It offers no specific programs listed in the data, such as advanced coursework or career pathways, though that does not mean they are absent—only that the available information did not include them. The data also lack information on discipline rates, staffing ratios, chronic absenteeism, and course access, which are gaps a family may want to explore by visiting or speaking with the school.
The parent district, Clarkston School District, has faced notable challenges. In early 2023, the school board voted to close two elementary schools—Grantham and Highland—at the end of that school year due to declining enrollment and state funding reductions. Students were reassigned and attendance boundaries redrawn, a restructuring that affects which elementary schools feed into Lincoln. More recently, in November 2024, voters rejected a bond measure that would have funded safety and security upgrades, roof replacements, HVAC improvements, and classroom modernization across the district. The bond’s failure means that aging infrastructure remains an open issue. A parent moving into the district may want to track future bond efforts or ask about current facility conditions.
Given its size and composition, Lincoln Middle School offers a relatively small and community-oriented setting. The academic performance shows room for growth, especially in math, where proficiency is noticeably lower than in reading. The economic context of Clarkston—stable but not growing, with a significant share of families facing financial strain—shapes the school environment. Families who value a tight-knit, single-middle-school feeder pattern within a small district may find it a good fit, while those seeking a broader array of program offerings or newer facilities will want to look into what is available beyond the basic curriculum.
See more original research from School Decision →