Granger Middle School, Granger WA

Original Research by School Decision on Granger Middle School

Granger Middle School serves fifth through eighth graders in the small, agricultural city of Granger in the Yakima Valley. It is a regular public school within the Granger School District, and the school itself is woven into the fabric of this compact town. The town’s identity is notable: Granger is known for its “Where Dinosaurs Roam” theme, with dozens of life-size concrete dinosaur statues scattered throughout the community, including many in Hisey Park, which also has a community amphitheater. The local economy is tied to agriculture, and the town has a significant Hispanic/Latino population. The school’s student body reflects this community, with nearly all students identifying as Hispanic. A very substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the school serves a grade band that feeds into the district’s high school. Data on the share of students who are English learners or receive special education services was not available.

The most recent state assessment results, from the 2024-25 school year, show that proficiency rates in math, English language arts, and science are below the midpoint when compared to other districts in Yakima County. In math, the percentage of students meeting the state standard varied by grade, with the highest rate among sixth graders and lower rates in the other three grades. In English language arts, proficiency rates ranged from one in five fifth graders meeting the bar to a little over a third of eighth graders doing so. Science results were available for fifth and eighth graders, and the proficiency rates in both grades were similar. Because only one year of data is available, it is not possible to see a trend over time. A parent may want to discuss these results with the school to understand the academic support and improvement efforts in place.

No information was available on course offerings, discipline rates, staffing, or attendance for Granger Middle School. The district brief turned up no parent-relevant changes in the last several years, such as boundary adjustments, new programs, or leadership transitions, so that context is absent.

For families considering this school, the housing market in Granger is more affordable than the state average, with home values roughly in line with the national median. The town is car-dependent, with limited walkability beyond its small downtown core. Civic anchors include a library branch, a new museum that opened recently, and a Spanish-language community radio station, KDNA. The town has grown steadily, driven by natural population increase among large families, and its economic development strategy has focused on tourism tied to the dinosaur theme and the broader Yakima Valley wine industry. Granger Middle School sits at the center of this community, and its academic profile presents a realistic picture for parents weighing its fit for their child.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 514%

School 14% · District 14%

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Grade 634%

School 34% · District 34%

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Grade 719%

School 19% · District 19%

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 811%

School 11% · District 11%

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 520%

School 20% · District 20%

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 638%

School 38% · District 38%

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 724%

School 24% · District 24%

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Grade 834%

School 34% · District 34%

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Science

Grade 518%

School 18% · District 18%

▼ 34 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 817%

School 17% · District 17%

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

This schoolGranger 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.