Jemtegaard Middle School, Washougal WA

Original Research by School Decision on Jemtegaard Middle School

Jemtegaard Middle School serves as Washougal’s lone public middle school, drawing sixth through eighth graders from across a city that functions primarily as a bedroom community for workers commuting to Vancouver and Portland. The school sits along State Route 14 at the western edge of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, a location the city markets as its defining feature. Washougal has grown at a modest but steady pace in recent years, and its downtown, described as cozy and compact, sits near the confluence of the Washougal and Columbia Rivers, though the school campus itself is not located within that core.

The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population as the largest minority group and smaller shares of students who identify as two or more races, Black, or Asian. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, which is a marker of economic diversity in the school. The data did not include counts for students with disabilities or English learners, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those support programs and how they are staffed.

On state assessments, Jemtegaard posted an overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades that landed above the midpoint among districts in Clark County, the comparison set used here. The pattern varied by subject. English language arts was the strongest area; across all three grade levels, a majority of students met the state bar, with seventh graders reaching the highest mark. Science, which is tested only in eighth grade, also showed solid proficiency, with more than half of students meeting the standard. Math was the softer spot. In both sixth and eighth grade, fewer than half of students scored proficient, while seventh graders exceeded that threshold by a modest margin. A parent concerned about math preparation may want to ask about the school’s math curriculum, any intervention programs, and how the school supports students who arrive below grade level. Since only one year of test data was available, it is not possible to see whether these results represent an improvement or a decline.

The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and no data was available on program offerings such as electives, advanced coursework, or career-connected learning. There was also no information on discipline rates, chronic absenteeism, or staffing ratios. These are meaningful gaps for a family trying to assess the day-to-day environment. A parent may want to ask the school for its most recent School Improvement Plan or school climate survey results.

Washougal itself is a small city shaped by its mill-town past and its present role as a commuter base. Pendleton Woolen Mills acquired the town’s historic textile mill and remains a part of local lore, but the current economy is driven by residents who travel west for work. The city has a handful of municipal parks, the Two Rivers Heritage Museum, and river access for fishing and recreation, but walkability data was thin and the sources suggest that beyond the small downtown, the built environment is standard suburban residential. No major new housing developments or specific growth projects surfaced in available research, so the feel is that of an established, moderately growing community rather than a boomtown.

For a family considering this school, the picture is that of a middle school with solid English outcomes, math that needs attention, and an economic profile that mixes families from a range of backgrounds. The school sits within a district that a parent may want to research separately for high school pathways and district-level priorities, since Jemtegaard alone does not reveal what comes after eighth grade. The community setting is quiet and commuter-oriented, with outdoor recreation nearby but little urban bustle.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 641%

School 41% · District 36% · ▲ 6 pts above district

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

Grade 754%

School 54% · District 53% · ▲ 1 pts above district

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

Grade 844%

School 44% · District 46% · ▼ 2 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 659%

School 59% · District 50% · ▲ 9 pts above district

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

Grade 771%

School 71% · District 65% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

Grade 862%

School 62% · District 63%

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

Science

Grade 854%

School 54% · District 58% · ▼ 3 pts below district

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

This schoolWashougal 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-income34%Higher-income54%20 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income46%Higher-income71%25 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income59%Higher-income83%24 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income53%Higher-income71%18 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income15%Higher-income28%14 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income31%Higher-income50%19 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income40%Higher-income68%28 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income32%Higher-income55%23 pp gap