When moving into a new town or neighborhood, your family and their well-being come first. Greatschools.org gives Portland schools an overall rating of six out of ten. So, if you do have children, it’s very important to find a home in a school district on the higher end of the spectrum. There are plenty of quality schools offering a wide assortment of teaching styles and curriculum, so take some time in locating one where your child will be successful and can truly thrive.
You’re probably wondering:
“What questions should I be asking when choosing an Elementary School or High School for my child?”
This article sheds light on those questions, and you’ll also find statistics on local Portland schools rankings, class size, and more.
Do you feel confident that your child’s school is giving them the best education possible? (Image courtesy – Phil Roeder)
Learning Environment:
What kind of learner is your child, ie. do they have a dominant learning style?
Does he or she need extra support?
Does your child need more structure to stay focused?
Does the school offer field trips, hands on projects, and do they use visual and other learning aids regularly?
Learning clusters allow for discussion and thought processing to occur. Children can help each other master issues. Many elementary schools are introducing technology, like ipads, early on. (Image courtesy – Brad Flickinger)
Curriculum:
What is the schools educational approach or learning philosophy?
Is the school well-rounded offering the arts, languages, physical activities, and are they “wired” for online access and learning?
What are your child’s specific interests, and will this school be able to engage those interests?
What kind of after school programs/clubs/sports are available?
What kind of advanced placement or dual-credit courses do they offer?
Socialization:
What is the class size?
Will this school help your child feel confident and build upon their strengths?
Does he/she work well in groups?
Find a school that makes learning FUN! (Image courtesy – adwriter)
Aesthetics and Logistics:
How convenient is the location?
Does the school feel warm, inviting, and creative, or does it feel cold and institutional?
How does the school approach grades, homework, and discipline?
How well is the communication between teachers and students, and teachers and parents?
What is the graduation rate?
We’ve broken out some of the top rated schools in the Portland area by region, so that you can narrow in on your search for a top notch education. Included is the Oregon School Rating, which is a metric from 1-5 that is given by the state of OREGON based on standardized testing scores and other factors. (2014 Statistics)
How to Read This List:
School Name –
Grades Taught / Oregon School Rating (1-5) / Ave. Class Size
North Portland
Peninsula Elementary School – 8125 N. Emerald
K-8 / 4 / 20
The Portland Village School – 7654 N Delaware Ave.
K-8 / 4 / 24.2
Trillium Charter School- 5420 N Interstate Ave.
K-12 / 3 / na – Student Teacher Ratio 20:1
A lottery enrollment takes place end of March.
Roosevelt High School – 6941 N Central St
9-12 / 3 / na
This school is known as being one of the most ethnically diverse high schools in the state of Oregon.
Northeast Portland
Alameda Elementary School – 2732 NE Fremont St.
K-5 / 4 / 26.6
Irvington Elementary School – 501 North Dixon St.
K-5 / 4 / 22.7
Roseway Heights School – 7334 NE Siskiyou St.
K-8 / 4 / 23.1
Sabin School – 4013 NE 18th Ave.
PK-8 / 4 / 24.3
Laurelhurst School – 840 NE 41st Ave.
K-8 / 4 / 25.9
Beverly Cleary School – 1915 NE 33rd Ave.
K-8 / 5 / 26
Beaumont Middle School – 4043 NE Fremont St.
6-8 / 4 / na
Grant High School – 2245 NE 36th Ave.
9-12 / 4 / na – Student Teacher Ratio 25:1
Advanced placement courses available.
Benson Polytechnic High School – 546 NE 12TH Ave.
9-12 / 4 / na – Student Teacher Ratio 20:1
Bronze national ranking. Students test at or above the state average. Focus on a self selected curriculum in Health Science, Industry and Engineering, or Communications Technology.
SouthEast
Abernethy Elementary School – 2421 Southeast Orange Ave.
K-5 / 4 / 26.9
Award winning Healthy Lunch Kitchen Garden.
Buckman Elementary School – 320 SE 16th Ave.
K-5 / 4 / 23.1
Also known as the Buckman Arts Focus Elementary School, with an innovative arts-integrated curriculum. Their stated goal is to “challenges the whole child–nourishing the intellectual, social, emotional, physical, and artistic development of each student”.
Maplewood Elementary School – 7452 SW 52nd Ave.
K-5 / 4 / 24.5
Woodmere Elementary School – 7900 SE Duke St.
K-5 / 4 / 23
Winterhaven School – 3830 SE 14th Ave.
K-8 / 5 / 28.9
Creative Science School – 1231 SE 92nd Ave.
K-8 / 4 / 27.4
Students are encouraged to be independent thinkers, to ask questions, and be problem solvers.
Creston School – 4701 SE Bush St.
K-8 / 4 / 18.4
Mt. Tabor Middle School – 5800 SE 58th Ave,
6-8 / 4 / na
Cleveland High School – 3400 SE 26th Ave.
9-12 / 4 / na – Student Teacher Ratio 22:1.
Students are offered International Baccalaureate course work and exams.
Franklin High School – 5405 SE Woodward St.
9-12 / 4 / na – Student Teacher Ratio 22:1.
Advanced Placement® course work and exams available.
Northwest
Emerson Charter School -105 NW Park Ave.
K-5 / 5 / 24
Forest Park Elementary School – 9935 NW Durrett St.
K-5 / 5 / 26.7
Skyline School – 11536 NW Skyline Blvd.
K-8 / 4 / 21.1
Westview High School – 4200 NW 185th, (Beaverton School District)
9-12 / 4 / na – Student Teacher Ratio 23:1.
Advanced Placement® course work and exams available.
Ranked #9 Top High School in the state of Oregon by US News and World Report.
Liberty High School – 21945 NW Wagon Way, (Hillsboro School District)
9-12 / 4 / na – Student Teacher Ratio 23:1.
Advanced Placement® course work and exams available.
Ranked #16 Top High School in the state of Oregon by US News and World Report.
Southwest
Bridlemile Elementary School – 4300 SW 47th Dr.
K-5 / 5 / 25.8
Stephenson Elementary School – 2627 SW Stephenson St.
K-5 / 5 / 27.5
Ainsworth Elementary School – 2425 SW Vista Ave.
K-5 / 4 / 24.7
Capitol Hill School – 8401 SW 17th Ave.
K-5 / 4 / 25.4
Hayhurst Shool – 5037 SW Iowa St, Portland
K-8 / 4 / 41.1
Gray Middle School – 5505 SW 23rd Ave.
6-8 / 4 / na
West Sylvan Middle School – 8111 SW West Slope Dr.
6-8 / 5 / na
International School of Beaverton – 17770 SW Blanton St.
(Beaverton School District)
6-12 / 4 / na – Student Teacher Ratio 25:1
Ranked #1 Top High School in the state of Oregon by US News and World Report
Lincoln High School – 1235 SW Salmon St.
9-12 / 4 / na – Student Teacher Ratio 25:1
Ranked #5 Top High School in the state of Oregon by US News and World Report
Wilson High School – 1151 SW Vermont
9-12 / 3 / na – Student Teacher Ratio 24:1
Ranked #8 Top High School in the state of Oregon by US News and World Report. Advanced Placement® course work and exams available.
If you are looking to relocate, contact Home Sweet Home Realty. Our team knows Portland and the surrounding areas. We look forward to finding the best fit for you, by assessing your needs and putting your family’s happiness first.
Written by Jennifer Kane, Expanded Exposure LLC.