David T. Denny International Middle School, Seattle WA

Original Research by School Decision on David T. Denny International Middle School

David T. Denny International Middle School is a regular public school in Seattle’s West Seattle neighborhood, serving grades six through eight as part of the Seattle School District No. 1, the largest public school district in the state. The school sits within a major Pacific Northwest metropolis that combines a dense commercial core with residential neighborhoods spread across hills and waterfronts. The broader city has been one of the fastest-growing large cities in the country, driven by technology and manufacturing employment, and the housing market in the area is expensive, with home values and rents well above national benchmarks. Families considering Denny should be aware that the district has faced a projected budget deficit due to declining enrollment and expiring federal relief funds, leading to proposals for school closures and staff reductions that have since been scaled back but continue to shape the financial landscape.

On state assessments administered in the 2024-25 school year, Denny’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits below the midpoint among districts in King County. In English language arts, roughly half of students met proficiency standards in sixth and seventh grade, while eighth-grade proficiency was lower. Math proficiency was consistently lower across all three grade levels, with about one in three students meeting the bar in each grade. Science, tested only in eighth grade, showed a similar pattern, with about one in three students proficient. These are the only state test results available for this school; no multi-year trend data were reported, so it is not possible to say whether performance has been improving or declining. A parent may want to ask the school about specific supports for students who are not yet meeting standards, particularly in math and science.

The school’s enrollment is moderate for a middle school. The student body is diverse: no single racial or ethnic group forms a majority. Hispanic students make up the largest share, followed by White students, Black students, Asian students, and students who identify as two or more races, with smaller numbers of Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and American Indian or Alaska Native students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not available in the source materials.

Denny is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet. No information was provided about its program offerings, course access, or special academic pathways. Anyone considering the school should inquire directly about electives, advanced coursework, and any enrichment or support programs for middle school students.

The school’s environment is shaped by its location in a dense urban setting. Seattle’s civic and commercial life is concentrated downtown, while its neighborhood schools like Denny are spread throughout residential areas. The city has an extensive parks system, a public library with neighborhood branches, and transit options including light rail, buses, and ferries. The district’s recent Building Excellence V capital levy, approved by voters in 2022, funds school construction, renovation, and technology upgrades, which may benefit Denny’s facilities over time.

Because Denny serves only middle school grades, there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism and discipline were also absent from the available information. A family researching this school will want to seek out those metrics, along with details on staffing ratios and teacher qualifications, to build a fuller picture of the school’s daily operations and student experience.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 636%

School 36% · District 60% · ▼ 23 pts below district

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

Grade 734%

School 34% · District 56% · ▼ 22 pts below district

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

Grade 836%

School 36% · District 54% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 648%

School 48% · District 67% · ▼ 19 pts below district

even with state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Grade 753%

School 53% · District 38% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Grade 841%

School 41% · District 66% · ▼ 25 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Science

Grade 833%

School 33% · District 60% · ▼ 27 pts below district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 28 pts below county median

This schoolSeattle School District No. 1, 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-income24%Higher-income63%39 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income32%Higher-income71%39 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income36%Higher-income71%35 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income25%Higher-income67%42 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income7%Higher-income38%31 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income20%Higher-income60%39 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income21%Higher-income48%27 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income19%Higher-income64%45 pp gap