Sultan Middle School, Sultan WA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Sultan Middle School

Sultan Middle School is a regular public school serving grades six through eight in the small Snohomish County town of Sultan. It is part of the Sultan School District, the largest employer in this bedroom community that sits along the Skykomish, Sultan, and Wallace rivers, roughly an hour’s drive northeast of Seattle. The school’s enrollment is moderate for a combined middle school, and a substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly white, with a notable Hispanic population accompanied by smaller shares of Black, Asian, and multiracial students.

Academically, the school’s state assessment results show a clear pattern. In English language arts, across all three grades, roughly six in ten students met proficiency standards, a level that is solidly above the school’s own math performance. In mathematics, about three in ten students were proficient, with eighth graders performing slightly better than sixth and seventh graders. In science, only the eighth grade is tested, and about a third of those students were proficient. When all tested subjects and grades are combined into a single proficiency index, Sultan Middle School sits below the midpoint relative to other districts in Snohomish County. The assessment data covers only one year, so no trend is available.

The school does not serve grades that have a graduation rate, and data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing, and course access were not available for this profile. A parent may wish to ask the school directly about these areas, especially how the school supports students who are below grade level in math and whether enrichment or elective offerings are available for each grade.

Sultan itself is a town that blends logging and mining history with suburban residential growth. Its downtown features a small Main Street with shops and restaurants, city hall, a public library, and several parks, including the large Osprey Park along the Sultan River. The city’s population has been growing steadily, and the city government is actively working to revitalize its downtown core and attract new businesses. Housing values in the area are generally in line with state averages, making it a more affordable option compared to closer-in Puget Sound suburbs, though the local economy offers limited employment outside the school district and service-sector jobs.

For the broader school district, a recent special election resulted in passage of a capital projects levy that will fund safety upgrades, roof repairs, and HVAC improvements across district schools. A larger general obligation bond that would have supported classroom additions and facility expansions did not pass, so major capital needs beyond basic upkeep remain unmet. This is a point of context for families considering whether the district is investing in its physical plant.

Sultan Middle School offers a relatively typical middle school experience in a small-town setting. Its ELA proficiency is a clear strength, while math performance lags behind, and the overall academic profile is below the county average. The peer environment reflects the community’s demographics, with a majority-white student body and a significant Hispanic share. The town is growing and affordable but limited in job opportunities and amenities. This school may fit families who value a compact, community-oriented middle school in a bedroom community, who are comfortable with a math proficiency level that the school will need to work on, and who want to be part of a district that has voted for facility upkeep even though larger expansions remain unfunded.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 633%

School 33% · District 33%

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

Grade 729%

School 29% · District 29%

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

Grade 836%

School 36% · District 35% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 659%

School 59% · District 59%

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Grade 757%

School 57% · District 56%

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 864%

School 64% · District 63% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Science

Grade 837%

School 37% · District 36% · ▲ 1 pts above district

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

This schoolSultan 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-income55%19 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income44%Higher-income76%31 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income48%Higher-income68%21 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income54%Higher-income74%20 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income7%Higher-income6%0 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income24%Higher-income43%19 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income24%Higher-income35%11 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income25%Higher-income47%22 pp gap