Northshore Middle School, Bothell WA

Original Research by School Decision on Northshore Middle School

Northshore Middle School is a regular public school in Bothell, Washington, serving grades six through eight within the Northshore School District. It sits in a rapidly growing part of King County, a predominantly suburban area that straddles the King-Snohomish county line and has transformed from a logging town into a hub for biotechnology and high-tech companies. The city has seen significant residential densification, particularly downtown, and the local housing market reflects that growth. Homes in Bothell are expensive by national standards, with typical values well above state and national medians, and rental costs are similarly high. Families moving into the area should expect a competitive housing market.

Academically, the school delivers results that position it above the midpoint among districts in King County, the comparison set used here. On the state math assessments, proficiency rates for all students fell in a range that indicates roughly half to slightly more than half of students met the standard, depending on the grade level. English language arts results were stronger, consistently above that math range across the three grades. The eighth-grade science assessment, which is the only science test administered at this school, also showed a proficiency rate in that same higher band. These figures represent a single year of data, so there is no trend line to suggest whether performance is improving or declining. Because the school serves only middle grades, no graduation rate or chronic absenteeism metric is available, and those gaps are expected given the grade band.

The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Asian population and a noticeable Hispanic presence. African American students and multiracial students each make up a small share, while Native American and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander populations are very small. About a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of economic need that is lower than in many other parts of the county. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not reported in the available records, so families with children in those categories may want to ask the school about related supports and services directly.

Bothell itself is a city that has grown rapidly over recent decades, fueled by annexation of business areas and downtown redevelopment. The Northshore School District serves not only Bothell but also parts of nearby Woodinville and Kenmore, though detailed boundaries for this middle school's attendance zone are not provided here. The district opened a new elementary school in 2021, Ruby Bridges Elementary, which added capacity and shifted some attendance boundaries, a change that could affect future feeder patterns for families moving into certain neighborhoods.

Compared with other middle schools across King County, Northshore Middle School's overall proficiency places it in a solid position. It is not the highest-performing in the county, but it is clearly above the median. For a family evaluating whether this school fits, the core takeaway is that it offers a consistently above-average academic foundation in a community where housing costs are high and the economy is anchored by well-paying tech and biotech jobs. The school does not appear to cater to any one specialized mission; it is a straightforward middle school serving a broad suburban population. Parents who value strong but not elite test scores and a diverse student body in a growing, economically dynamic area will find this school a reasonable fit. Those looking for more detailed information about programs, electives, or cohort trends would need to follow up directly with the school or district, as those specifics were not part of the available data.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 657%

School 57% · District 64% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 762%

School 62% · District 64% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 855%

School 55% · District 58% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 666%

School 66% · District 71% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 769%

School 69% · District 74% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 867%

School 67% · District 56% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Science

Grade 860%

School 60% · District 40% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · even with county median

This schoolNorthshore 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-income37%Higher-income79%43 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income38%Higher-income73%35 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income40%Higher-income77%36 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income38%Higher-income76%38 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income21%Higher-income66%46 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income24%Higher-income72%48 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income28%Higher-income63%36 pp gap