Hudtloff Middle School, Lakewood WA

Original Research by School Decision on Hudtloff Middle School

Hudtloff Middle School is a regular public school in Lakewood, part of the Clover Park School District, serving grades six through eight. It sits in a suburban community shaped heavily by Joint Base Lewis-McChord, a major military installation that anchors the local economy. The city itself is a mix of residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors, with several lakes, a shopping center, and an International District along South Tacoma Way and Pacific Highway that reflects Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Latino influences. Lakewood is the second-largest city in Pierce County and was incorporated relatively recently.

The school’s student body is diverse. Students of Hispanic background make up the largest share, followed by White students, those identifying with two or more races, Black students, and smaller groups including Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaska Native students. A substantial majority of students come from low-income households. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not included in the available reporting.

When it comes to academic performance on state assessments, the results sit on the lower end. In both math and English language arts, across all three grade levels, the share of students meeting proficiency standards is well under a third. Science results for eighth graders follow a similar pattern. Among districts in Pierce County, the school’s overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile. These are the most recent results available, offering a single-year snapshot with no earlier year for comparison. A parent considering the school may want to ask about the specific supports and interventions in place for students who are not yet meeting grade-level expectations.

Because Hudtloff is a middle school and not a high school, there is no graduation rate to report, which is standard for this grade range. The available data did not include information on attendance, discipline, staffing ratios, or course access. Families looking for a fuller picture of the day-to-day school environment may want to pursue those details directly from the school.

The surrounding community of Lakewood is largely car-oriented suburban development, with commercial activity concentrated at the shopping center and along major corridors. There is no traditional downtown core. Street life is most visible at the International District and at city events such as the seasonal farmers market and summer concert series at the large Fort Steilacoom Park. The city has a notable share of rental housing, and home values in the area are somewhat below the state median. The economy depends heavily on the military base, with healthcare, retail, and food service as the main employment sectors outside the base. Transit access includes a commuter rail station serving as the southern terminus of the Sounder line.

No recent district-level changes, such as referendums or curriculum shifts, were found in publicly available search results.

Given the thin data in several areas, what stands out most clearly is the school’s academic performance relative to other county schools. For a family weighing this school, the central question will be how its academic supports and programs align with their child’s needs. The school draws from a diverse and economically varied community, and the surrounding area offers proximity to a major employment base and housing costs that are moderate for the region.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 610%

School 10% · District 22% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 28 pts below county median

Grade 718%

School 18% · District 23% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

Grade 810%

School 10% · District 16% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 622%

School 22% · District 32% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

Grade 729%

School 29% · District 35% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

Grade 818%

School 18% · District 31% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 32 pts below state median · ▼ 34 pts below county median

Science

Grade 823%

School 23% · District 27% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

This schoolClover Park 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 5Lower-income31%Higher-income45%15 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income19%Higher-income33%14 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income23%Higher-income43%20 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income15%Higher-income28%14 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income6%Higher-income24%18 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income12%Higher-income34%22 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income7%Higher-income20%13 pp gap