The top reported proficiency rate is 43% in English language arts. The lowest is 35% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Cusick Jr Sr High School
Cusick Jr Sr High School serves grades six through twelve in the rural town of Cusick, Washington, a very small former sawmill community on the Pend Oreille River that also serves as the headquarters of the Kalispel Indian Community of the Kalispel Reservation. The school is the sole secondary school in the Cusick School District, and its enrollment is small, with each grade typically having a modest number of students. The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial representation of American Indian or Alaska Native students, a smaller Hispanic population, and a notable share of students identifying as two or more races. A very large majority of students come from households with low income, as measured by eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch.
State testing results are available for the 2024-25 school year, and they show a mixed picture that varies noticeably by grade level. In English language arts, proficiency rates for the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades ranged from below average to above average. The seventh-grade cohort recorded the strongest performance, while the sixth-grade cohort posted a lower result that a parent may want to discuss further with the school. In math, the picture is similarly uneven. The seventh-grade students performed at a relatively strong level, while the sixth-grade cohort was below that mark. Math results for eighth graders were not reported due to data suppression, which may be related to small group sizes. In science, testing is administered at the eighth-grade level, and that cohort's proficiency rate was modest. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index placed it below the midpoint when compared with other districts in Pend Oreille County, which contains only a few districts. Because this is the only year of assessment data available, there is no trend information to show whether performance is improving or declining.
The school serves grades six through twelve, so there is no graduation rate data to report, as a full four-year cohort has not yet been tracked for this configuration. This is a structural gap tied to the grade span, not a reflection on outcomes. A parent may want to ask the district what graduation and postsecondary placement rates look like for this school.
In terms of programs and course access, the available data does not describe the school's specific offerings. Many secondary schools of this size in rural settings offer a core academic curriculum with some career and technical education pathways, dual-credit opportunities, and athletics, but without data, this cannot be confirmed. The absence of information on advanced coursework, special education services, and English learner support means a family with specific needs should contact the school directly.
The community context matters here. Cusick is a remote rural town with limited commercial activity and a quiet residential character. Housing values in the area are well below the state median, reflecting the area's affordability relative to Washington's larger metro regions. The town is slow-growing, and there are no major new housing developments identified. The Pend Oreille County fairgrounds are located in Cusick, and the Pend Oreille River is a central natural feature. For families, this means the school serves a small, tight-knit population in a setting where the school is likely a central community hub.
The 2024-25 school year was a single point in time for state testing, and the results are the only academic performance data available for this school. The proficiency rates show some bright spots at specific grade levels, particularly in seventh-grade English and math, and some areas where families may want to ask more questions, particularly in sixth-grade math and English and in eighth-grade science. The overall picture is one of a small rural school serving a high-needs population, with academic performance that is modest relative to the county as a whole. For a family moving to this area, the school's size and community context are likely the primary draws, while the academic results merit a direct conversation with the principal about how the school addresses gaps in student learning and what supports are available.
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