Original Research by School Decision on Lakes High School
Lakes High School is a regular public high school in the Clover Park School District, serving students in grades nine through twelve. The school is located in Lakewood, a suburban city in Pierce County that is heavily shaped by its role as the host community for Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The local economy and population are deeply tied to the base, and the city itself is a mix of residential neighborhoods, commercial corridors along South Tacoma Way and Pacific Highway, and several lakes. Lakewood does not have a traditional downtown; its commercial and civic life is distributed across nodes like the Lakewood Towne Center and the International District.
The student body at Lakes High School is diverse. White students make up the largest single group, followed by students who identify as two or more races, Hispanic students, Black students, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander students, Asian students, and a small number of American Indian or Alaska Native students. A substantial share of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which is one indicator of the socioeconomic context families are navigating.
State assessment results are available for a single recent school year, so there is no trend line to examine. In English language arts, the proficiency rate was above the midpoint. In science, the rate was lower. In math, the proficiency rate was well below the midpoint. These are snapshot figures, and without multi-year data it is not possible to assess whether performance is improving, declining, or stable. A parent may want to discuss the math results directly with the school to understand what support is in place.
The school does not have a reported graduation rate in the data provided. This is a standard high school metric, and its absence is worth noting. It is possible the data was not submitted or collected, but the reason is not given. A family considering Lakes should follow up with the school or district office to obtain this figure.
Data on several other measures was not available. There is no information on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing ratios, or course access, such as the availability of Advanced Placement, dual-credit, or career and technical education programs. The school’s Title I status and magnet status are also unreported. The district brief did not turn up any recent major changes, referendums, or curriculum shifts to note.
The housing market in the area around the school has seen home values decline very slightly over the past year, while rents have increased. The typical monthly mortgage payment on a median-value home is higher than the typical rent, meaning that for many families, renting is the more affordable option.
In short, Lakes High School serves a diverse and primarily middle- to lower-income student population in a suburban city with a strong military presence. The academic picture is mixed: English language arts results are solid, but math performance is a clear soft spot, and the graduation rate is missing from the available data. Families looking for a fuller picture of the academic pathways and supports available at the school will likely need to reach out to the school directly, as several key data points were not included in this report.
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