Highlands Middle School, Kennewick WA

Original Research by School Decision on Highlands Middle School

Highlands Middle School serves sixth through eighth graders in Kennewick, a mid-sized city on the Columbia River that is the most populous of the Tri-Cities. The school is part of the Kennewick School District, which relies on local bond and levy measures voted on by residents to fund new buildings and capital projects, with a Facility Study Committee that recommends projects based on enrollment growth projections—a relevant consideration given that the Tri-Cities area is described as having the fastest growing population in Washington State.

The student body is diverse and predominantly Hispanic, with a large share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school is a regular public middle school.

State assessment results are available for the most recent testing year. Proficiency rates in math across all three grades are low, with a modest upward trend from sixth to eighth grade but still well below a majority of students meeting the standard. English language arts results follow a similar pattern: rates are low overall, with eighth grade showing somewhat higher proficiency than sixth. Science, which is tested only in eighth grade, also shows a low proficiency rate. When compared to other school districts in Benton County, Highlands Middle School’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits below the midpoint of the group.

These are the school’s reported outcomes, and the pattern is consistent. A parent considering this school should look into what academic supports are in place for students who are not yet meeting grade-level standards in reading, math, and science. The data does not include information on the percentage of students receiving special education services or English learner supports, so families who need to understand those programs should ask the school directly.

The school environment and access section lacks reported data on discipline, course access, staffing, and attendance, so there is no information available about chronic absenteeism, teacher experience, or the range of courses offered beyond what the state provides for all schools. The school’s programs section is also absent, meaning the narrative cannot speak to any specialized offerings such as electives, athletics, or enrichment activities that may or may not exist; a family should request that information from the school directly.

Kennewick itself offers a mix of residential neighborhoods, commercial corridors, and industrial employment, with major employers including Amazon and Lamb Weston offices, plus the broader Hanford Site and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory presence in nearby Richland. Housing values in the area place homeownership somewhat above the national median but below the Washington state benchmark, and rental costs are a modest share of area income. The city has riverfront recreational access, convention and sports facilities, and a growing population that is driving infrastructure investments such as the Three Rivers Convention Center expansion.

For a family considering Highlands Middle School, the academic performance picture is straightforward: proficiency rates are low across tested subjects and grades, and the school’s standing relative to other districts in the county reflects that. The student population is economically diverse with a large share qualifying for meal assistance, and the school draws from a growing city with an expanding economy. A parent who wants strong test-score outcomes or is concerned about academic preparation for high school will want to have a close conversation with the school about its intervention strategies, support for struggling students, and any programs aimed at raising achievement.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 616%

School 16% · District 31% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

Grade 717%

School 17% · District 32% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Grade 820%

School 20% · District 31% · ▼ 10 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 622%

School 22% · District 44% · ▼ 22 pts below district

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

Grade 728%

School 28% · District 51% · ▼ 23 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

Grade 834%

School 34% · District 46% · ▼ 12 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 822%

School 22% · District 34% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

This schoolKennewick 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-income29%Higher-income49%20 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income20%Higher-income30%10 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income19%Higher-income52%33 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income28%Higher-income61%33 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income11%Higher-income26%16 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income14%Higher-income23%9 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income12%Higher-income28%16 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income17%Higher-income37%20 pp gap