The reported proficiency rate for English language arts is 27%.
Original Research by School Decision on Quincy Innovation Academy
Quincy Innovation Academy is an alternative school serving kindergarten through twelfth grade under the Quincy School District in central Washington. The school is small, with an enrollment that is concentrated heavily in the upper grades. Most of its students are in eleventh and twelfth grade, and it serves a handful of students at each level from second grade upward. A very substantial share of the student body is Hispanic or Latino, and a large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school in a high-poverty context.
The school is a district-run alternative program, not a charter school. Because of its alternative designation and small test-taking populations, much of the standard state testing data is suppressed, as the counts are too small to report publicly without risking student identification. State testing results are available for only a few grade levels and subjects. In English language arts, where results were reported for seventh and eighth grade, the proficiency rates were well below the state average. In science, where a single combined rate was reported for all tested grades, the proficiency rate was also low. No math proficiency rates were reported for any grade. The school’s overall proficiency index, which averages the reported rates across tested subjects and grades, falls below the midpoint when compared with other districts in Grant County. For a school of this size and type, these results are best understood as a snapshot of a small, specialized student body rather than a measure of a typical comprehensive school, but they do indicate that academic attainment on state assessments is a soft spot that a parent may want to investigate further with the school.
The school does not have a reported four-year graduation rate. That is common for alternative schools, which may serve students on extended timelines or with nontraditional pathways, though the absence of this metric leaves a gap for a family trying to gauge how effectively the school moves students to a diploma. Chronic absenteeism data was also not available.
Quincy itself is a small city in Grant County that blends a long-standing agricultural economy with a major data-center industry. Major technology companies have located large facilities there, drawn by abundant and cheap hydroelectricity. The population is predominantly Hispanic or Latino, young, and family-oriented, with a median age in the twenties and a high share of households with children. The housing market shows a typical home value that is notably lower than the Washington state benchmark, which may make the area more accessible for buyers than many other parts of the state. The town has a compact, small-town layout with a traditional downtown grid, and outdoor recreation is available at nearby lakes and the Columbia River. The Gorge Amphitheatre, a major concert venue, draws seasonal visitors through town.
The Quincy School District has recently added Ancient Lakes Elementary, a new elementary school, and Quincy Innovation Academy Big Picture, a separate alternative program operating under the same umbrella as Quincy Innovation Academy. This expansion suggests the district is investing in additional capacity and alternative pathways.
For a parent considering Quincy Innovation Academy, the picture is one of a small alternative school with a high-need student body, limited publicly available test data, and attainment numbers that are low where they are reported. The school may serve students who have not thrived in a traditional setting, and its small size and alternative designation are its defining features rather than its test scores. A family evaluating this school would want to speak directly with staff about graduation pathways, the support provided for students who are behind academically, and the school’s specific program model.
See more original research from School Decision →