Lakeridge Middle School, Bonney Lake WA

Original Research by School Decision on Lakeridge Middle School

Lakeridge Middle School serves sixth through eighth graders in Bonney Lake, a fast-growing residential suburb in Pierce County. The school is part of the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District, which has been gaining attention for its rising academic profile. The district itself has moved up in state rankings in recent years and now positions as the fourth highest performing district within Pierce County, according to publicly reported district materials. For a family considering this area, Lakeridge sits within a district that appears to be on an upward trajectory, supported by voter-approved technology funding that provides every student with a device and a major expansion at the district's high school completed in recent years.

Academically, Lakeridge Middle School posts results that place its overall proficiency index in the top quartile relative to districts across Pierce County. That is a strong signal. English language arts scores are particularly solid. At the seventh and eighth grade levels, proficiency rates are well above what many schools in the region report, and the sixth grade ELA performance is notably strong as well. Math scores are more mixed. Sixth grade math proficiency is lower than what the school achieves in seventh and eighth grades, and overall math proficiency across all grades combined sits at a level that is a clear step behind the school's ELA performance. Science results for eighth graders land in a middle ground, with a rate that is respectable but not at the same level as the top-tier ELA numbers. Families who place a high priority on math outcomes may want to look into how the school supports students in that subject, particularly at entry to middle school, where the dip is most visible.

The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic minority and a smaller share of students who identify as two or more races. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a meaningful share and places the school in a middle ground on economic diversity for its region. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in this profile; parents who need that information should check directly with the school.

Bonney Lake itself is a car-dependent suburban community without a traditional walkable downtown. Commercial activity is strung along the main highway corridor in strip centers. The city has grown quickly over the past couple of decades, though recent estimates suggest slight population flattening. Housing values in the area are elevated compared to national benchmarks, and rents have been climbing. The community offers recreational amenities around several lakes and a park system, and the park-and-ride lot provides a commuter connection to the Sounder train for regional access. The setting suits families who want a suburban residential environment with lake access and are willing to drive for most errands and activities.

Lakeridge Middle School is a regular public school that is not a charter or magnet. It receives no Title I designation on this profile. Discipline, staffing ratios, attendance, and chronic absenteeism data were not included in the available information, so a parent may want to ask about school climate and student engagement directly. The school serves only middle school grades, so there is no graduation rate to consider here; that measure applies to the high schools students will feed into.

For a family weighing this school, the central academic picture is one of above-average performance in reading and writing, with math as the area where the school's results are more typical of the county median. The district context adds a layer of confidence: the system overall is performing well and investing in facilities and technology. The school is not exceptionally large or small for a middle school in this grade band, and its demographic mix is fairly representative of the surrounding community. Families who value strong literacy instruction and a district with recent momentum will find Lakeridge a credible option, while those with particular concerns about math progression or who want detailed data on student support programs will need to follow up directly.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 648%

School 48% · District 53% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 757%

School 57% · District 56% · ▲ 1 pts above district

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

Grade 858%

School 58% · District 54% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 28 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 664%

School 64% · District 65% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 782%

School 82% · District 75% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 31 pts above state median · ▲ 33 pts above county median

Grade 883%

School 83% · District 72% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 33 pts above state median · ▲ 31 pts above county median

Science

Grade 861%

School 61% · District 57% · ▲ 4 pts above district

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

This schoolSumner-Bonney Lake 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-income44%Higher-income64%20 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income55%Higher-income70%16 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income76%Higher-income86%10 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income75%Higher-income87%12 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income21%Higher-income32%11 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income36%Higher-income56%19 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income51%Higher-income62%11 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income49%Higher-income63%14 pp gap