The top reported proficiency rate is 65% in Science. The lowest is 58% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Lakeside Middle School
Lakeside Middle School is the sole public middle school for the Nine Mile Falls School District, a small system serving an unincorporated exurban community northwest of Spokane. The school covers sixth through eighth grade and operates as a regular public school. The district itself is based in a place that began as a village for dam workers and remains primarily residential and rural in character, with ponderosa pine forest covering uncleared land along the steep Spokane River valley. There is no traditional downtown; services are strung along the highway corridor, and the middle school campus is not in Nine Mile Falls proper but in the nearby community of Suncrest.
The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic share in the low double digits and very small representation from other racial and ethnic groups. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on the proportion of students receiving special education services or identified as English learners was not available in the record, so a family with a child who has an individualized education plan or who is learning English would want to follow up directly with the school to understand how those supports are structured. Enrollment is small for a middle school serving three grade levels, which tends to mean students and staff know each other well.
Academically, Lakeside Middle School performs at a level that places it among the stronger schools in Stevens County. On the state's standardized assessments, the school's combined proficiency rate across math, English language arts, and science is in the top quartile when compared with other districts in the county. That top-quartile position is a real strength, especially given the size and rural context of the district. Within that overall picture, the numbers vary somewhat by subject and grade. Eighth graders posted the highest math proficiency rate of the three grade levels, while seventh graders were the strongest in English language arts. Sixth grade English language arts was the softest area across the school; a parent may want to ask the school what literacy interventions or supports are available for that transition year from elementary to middle school. In science, which is tested only in eighth grade, the performance was solid and consistent with the school's general trajectory.
Because this is the first year of data in the record, there is no multi-year trend to show whether scores are rising, holding steady, or declining. That limits what can be said about momentum. The school's graduation rate is not applicable since it only serves through eighth grade, and chronic absenteeism data was also absent from the available record, so the attendance picture at the school is not clear from this data set.
Housing in the area carries a value roughly in line with the national median home price, though lower than the Washington state benchmark. The affordability picture reflects a typical pattern for exurban commuter communities: the estimated monthly mortgage payment outpaces the estimated rent, meaning renting may be more accessible month to month than buying, though that gap is not extreme. The unemployment rate at the national level is moderate, and median household income has been broadly stable in recent years without dramatic swings.
The district has resisted rapid growth; suburban development from Spokane approaches within a few miles but does not directly abut the community, so the area maintains a rural feel. The Spokane River Centennial Trail provides a recreational pedestrian corridor from Sontag Park through Riverside State Park, and the historic Nine Mile Dam complex is listed on the National Register. For families who value outdoor access and a quieter, commuter-oriented lifestyle, this setting is a straightforward fit. For those looking for a dense, walkable downtown with frequent turnover of housing and services, the dispersed character of Nine Mile Falls would feel different.
Lakeside Middle School offers a small-school environment with academic results that stand out relative to other public schools in the county. The main open questions for a prospective family involve the supports available for students who need extra help in reading, particularly in sixth grade, and how the school handles special education and English learner services, since those figures were not in the data. The limited recent record also means there is no trend to study; families who rely on year-over-year improvement or decline as a signal will have less to go on here. For parents who want a middle school where the academic baseline is solid and the setting is low-key and rural, this school is a clear candidate in this part of Washington.
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