Tenino Middle School, Tenino WA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Tenino Middle School

Tenino Middle School, located in a small Thurston County city that functions largely as a bedroom community for Olympia and Tacoma, serves grades six through eight as part of the Tenino School District. The school sits on a campus along Sussex Avenue, somewhat apart from Tenino's historic sandstone downtown but within the compact town footprint.

The student body at this middle school is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population making up the next largest group. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on the share of students with individualized education programs or English learner status was not provided.

State assessment results for the most recent testing year show a mixed picture. In English language arts, the share of students meeting state standards rose from sixth to eighth grade, with eighth graders reaching about half proficient. Seventh graders performed higher than sixth graders, though all three grade levels had room for improvement. In math, proficiency rates were lower across all three grades, with sixth graders slightly ahead of their older peers. Science, tested only in eighth grade, had a noticeably stronger showing, with more than half of students meeting the standard.

When placed alongside other districts in Thurston County on an overall proficiency index, Tenino Middle School sits in the bottom quartile. The comparison set includes eight districts where the median proficiency index is higher. This position is worth noting for families comparing academic outcomes across the county.

The school's physical setting is a small, walkable downtown core, but the campus itself is in a more auto-oriented part of town. Tenino City Park, with its historic sandstone quarry pool and trail connections, is a nearby amenity. The town's economy has historically centered on agriculture and sandstone quarrying, with a new Agriculture Innovation Park opening in 2025.

The Tenino School District has maintained a steady enrollment and carries a graduation rate at its high school that ranks among the higher-performing districts in Washington state. For this middle school, the early secondary years feed directly into that high school, and the broader district context is one of generally stable operations.

For a parent weighing options, this is a regular public middle school in a small-town setting where academic proficiency, particularly in math, is an area to understand better. The science results suggest some instructional strength. The student body reflects the broader community demographics. Families who value a compact school environment within a historic small city may find the fit comfortable, while those prioritizing higher comparative test performance across the county may want to investigate what academic supports and enrichment programs the school offers beyond the state-test data alone.

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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 · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 725%

School 25% · District 25%

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

Grade 826%

School 26% · District 26%

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

English language arts

Grade 630%

School 30% · District 30%

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

Grade 743%

School 43% · District 43%

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

Grade 849%

School 49% · District 49%

even with state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Science

Grade 855%

School 55% · District 55%

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

This schoolTenino 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 6Lower-income18%Higher-income46%28 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income36%Higher-income52%16 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income39%Higher-income60%22 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income28%Higher-income39%11 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income20%Higher-income30%10 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income18%Higher-income35%18 pp gap