Tonasket Middle School, Tonasket WA

Original Research by School Decision on Tonasket Middle School

Tonasket Middle School serves grades six through eight in the small Okanogan County town of Tonasket, a regular public school that acts as the feeder for the local high school. The school sits within a district that covers a largely agricultural and forestry-based region, and the town itself is a compact hub along U.S. Highway 97, bordered by the Okanogan River. The setting is distinctly small-town and rural, with fruit processing facilities and national forest offices as major employers, and the school’s enrollment reflects the community it serves.

State assessment data is available for math, English language arts, and science. Across all tested grades and subjects, overall proficiency places this school below the midpoint among Okanogan County districts. In math, the share of students meeting the state benchmark is modest, and in English language arts it is somewhat higher but still below the county median. Science proficiency, measured only in eighth grade, shows a somewhat larger share of students reaching the standard. Because this is the only year of data provided, there is no trend to compare against; a parent may want to ask the school about year-over-year patterns. The school does not serve high school grades, so no graduation rate is reported.

The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic population making up roughly one-third of enrollment, and small numbers of students identifying as two or more races or as American Indian or Alaska Native. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating that a high proportion of families face economic challenges. The share of students with disabilities and the share classified as English learners are not reported in the available data, so a parent seeking that information would need to contact the school directly. Total enrollment is typical for a middle school in a small town, with each grade level similar in size.

No information was found about course offerings, extracurricular programs, or student discipline rates. The district brief turned up no recent major changes or initiatives publicly reported for the Tonasket School District. Attendance data, including chronic absenteeism, is also missing, which leaves a gap in understanding how consistently students are in class. A family considering this school may want to ask about the range of elective classes, any after-school activities, and the school’s approach to supporting students who are learning English or have special education needs.

Housing in the Tonasket area is considerably more affordable than the Washington state average, with home values rising only modestly in the past year. The local economy is tied to agriculture and forestry, and the unemployment rate near the national average. For families moving to the area, the school’s modest test results should be weighed against the context of a rural, high-poverty community where the school likely serves as a central institution rather than a selective program. A parent should expect to engage directly with the school to understand how it addresses academic challenges and what supports are in place for students who are behind.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 628%

School 28% · District 26% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 9 pts below state median

Grade 721%

School 21% · District 20% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 17 pts below state median

Grade 821%

School 21% · District 18% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 13 pts below state median

English language arts

Grade 635%

School 35% · District 33% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 12 pts below state median

Grade 731%

School 31% · District 32% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median

Grade 849%

School 49% · District 45% · ▲ 5 pts above district

even with state median

Science

Grade 841%

School 41% · District 39% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 1 pts below state median

This schoolTonasket 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-income35%Higher-income79%44 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income31%Higher-income46%15 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income28%Higher-income40%13 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income41%Higher-income68%28 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income17%Higher-income31%14 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income21%Higher-income46%24 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income20%Higher-income25%5 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income11%Higher-income42%31 pp gap