Timberline Middle School, Redmond WA

Original Research by School Decision on Timberline Middle School

Timberline Middle School sits in the Education Hill neighborhood of Redmond, a part of the city with a residential feel that was named for its concentration of schools. The school serves grades six through eight and is part of the Lake Washington School District. Redmond itself is defined by its role as a major technology employment hub, home to Microsoft’s headquarters and many other tech offices, and it has seen rapid growth and densification over the past several decades. The city has two distinct urban centers, downtown and Overlake, with the Microsoft campus in the latter, and new light rail service arrived in stages during 2024 and 2025. The housing market in this area is expensive, with home values that are quite high relative to national benchmarks.

The student body at Timberline Middle School is diverse in its composition. The largest racial or ethnic group is Asian students, who make up a substantial share of the enrollment. White students are the next largest group, followed by smaller populations of Hispanic students, students who identify as two or more races, and Black students. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is very small relative to the school’s total enrollment. This profile is consistent with a school serving a largely affluent community that is also a draw for professionals in the technology industry. No data was reported for the share of students receiving special education services or for English learner status, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the availability and structure of those supports.

Academically, this is a very strong school. On the state’s standardized assessments, students performed at a high level in every subject and grade tested. In English language arts, students in all three grade levels posted strong proficiency rates. In math, rates across grades six, seven, and eight were similarly high. In science, which is tested at grade eight, the proficiency rate was also well above most peers. When compared to other districts across King County, Timberline’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile. The school has only one year of state testing results in the data, so there is no trend to examine; that is a gap to keep in mind for anyone interested in year-over-year trajectory.

Because Timberline is a middle school that does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and that is expected given its grade band. Similarly, data on chronic absenteeism was not available in these records. For a school performing at this level, a family considering enrollment would want to understand the school’s approach to middle school transition, the range of elective and enrichment offerings, and how the school supports students who are already performing well and those who may need additional challenge. The school website and direct contact with school leadership would be the best sources for that information.

The absence of a district brief that found recent changes specific to Lake Washington School District means this narrative cannot speak to any recent bond measures, boundary adjustments, or curriculum shifts; none were surfaced in the research. Housing in the area commands a high price, and rental costs are also elevated, so a family considering moving here for the school should be prepared for a competitive market. The area does have some traffic congestion, particularly from commuters, but Redmond’s light rail connections to Bellevue and Seattle are now in service. Timberline Middle School is a high-performing option within a well-regarded district, set in a community that is both a technology center and a residential suburb. A family whose priorities include strong academic results and a peer environment typical of an affluent tech corridor would find this school a strong fit.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 682%

School 82% · District 27% · ▲ 56 pts above district

▲ 45 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

Grade 781%

School 81% · District 38% · ▲ 43 pts above district

▲ 43 pts above state median · ▲ 27 pts above county median

Grade 883%

School 83% · District 73% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▲ 49 pts above state median · ▲ 31 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 688%

School 88% · District 77% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 40 pts above state median · ▲ 28 pts above county median

Grade 784%

School 84% · District 33% · ▲ 50 pts above district

▲ 33 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 885%

School 85% · District 80% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 36 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Science

Grade 881%

School 81% · District 75% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 38 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

This schoolLake Washington 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-income56%Higher-income86%30 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income53%Higher-income90%37 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income32%Higher-income89%57 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income55%Higher-income86%32 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income13%Higher-income72%60 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income53%Higher-income84%32 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income25%Higher-income88%63 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income50%Higher-income84%34 pp gap