Showalter Middle School, Seattle WA

Original Research by School Decision on Showalter Middle School

Showalter Middle School sits in Seattle’s Tukwila neighborhood, serving grades six through eight as a regular public school within the Tukwila School District. It is a mid-sized middle school for its grade band. The student body is highly diverse: the largest demographic group is Hispanic students, followed by Asian students, Black students, and a smaller share of white students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, reflecting a community with significant economic need. English learner and special education data were not available in the profile.

On state assessments, Showalter’s proficiency rates were well below the midpoint among districts in King County, landing in the bottom quartile. In math, proficiency across grades six, seven, and eight was modest, with the highest rate in eighth grade. In English language arts, proficiency was similarly low across all three grades, with seventh grade posting the strongest result. Science proficiency, measured only in eighth grade, was at a comparable level. The data covers a single school year, so trend information cannot be assessed; a parent may want to ask the school how these results compare to prior years and what strategies are in place for improvement.

Seattle is a major Pacific Northwest city, a technology and manufacturing hub with a dense urban core of skyscrapers, waterfront, and parks. The Tukwila neighborhood where Showalter is located is a residential area within the city’s broader geography. Housing values in the surrounding zip code are near the national median, but well below the King County median listing price, which is high. The county housing market has seen a slight dip in median listing prices and an increase in active listings, while rents have risen modestly. For a family considering this area, the housing market is relatively more accessible than many parts of King County, though still expensive by national standards.

The district brief did not surface recent operational changes or strategic priorities, so this profile offers no information on new programs, boundary adjustments, or facility plans. A resident or parent would need to check directly with the Tukwila School District for updates on school leadership, curriculum initiatives, or support services.

Given the assessment data, Showalter Middle School serves a diverse, economically challenged student population. Its academic proficiency is low compared to other King County districts. A family considering this school should investigate what academic interventions, enrichment programs, and student supports are in place. The school’s setting in a major city offers access to Seattle’s cultural and economic resources, but the academic pathway here is one where a parent will want to be actively engaged with the school’s efforts to raise student outcomes.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 612%

School 12% · District 12%

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 40 pts below county median

Grade 720%

School 20% · District 20%

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 34 pts below county median

Grade 823%

School 23% · District 23%

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 29 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 623%

School 23% · District 23%

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 37 pts below county median

Grade 730%

School 30% · District 30%

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 33 pts below county median

Grade 828%

School 28% · District 28%

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 37 pts below county median

Science

Grade 827%

School 27% · District 27%

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 33 pts below county median

This schoolTukwila 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-income30%Higher-income56%26 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income20%Higher-income38%19 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income28%Higher-income39%11 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income25%Higher-income38%13 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income5%Higher-income18%12 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income10%Higher-income21%10 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income20%Higher-income24%5 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income18%Higher-income40%22 pp gap