Methodology: Oregon’s Top High Schools 2014
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Shelby Sebens, GoLocalPDX Reporter
GoLocalPDX ranked 156 of the state's 193 high schools, or those schools for which complete data was available.
GoLocal used data from the Oregon Department of Education's public databases as well as available SAT averages for 2011-2012. The analysis reflects the most current data available.
While the SAT data is controversial, for the moment, it still gives the GoLocalPDX ranking system an objective third-party metric to throw into our ranking formula.
GoLocal also gave no ranking to 44 blended middle school-high schools that have grades 7 through 12 grades.
Full data on these schools will be published on Friday.
Process and weighting formulas
What followed was precise statistical analysis, guided by a methodology used in similar rankings. After collecting the relevant data, GoLocalPDX calculated the average values in each of the categories and the degree to which each school either exceeded or failed to reach those averages.
Those deviations from the average were standardized so that different categories could be compared meaningfully, and then we used a weighting formula to give certain categories more importance than others.
For example, Oregon has a unique school-equalization funding formula, enacted in 1991 as a response to state measures that capped property taxes and moved school funding largely under the responsibility of the state. That formula is based on demographics and enrollment that parcels out funding to schools. That means the difference in per-pupil spending with public dollars is small between schools. The amount of money schools receive via private donations is not publicly available.
Thus, we gave more weight to how schools fared when meeting the state standards.
The weightings were as follows:
- % met or exceeded state reading 11.25%
- % met or exceeded state math 11.25%
- %met or exceeded state writing 11.25%
- %met or exceeded state science 11.25%
- SAT participation 5%
- Graduation rate 10%
- Per pupil spending 10%
- SAT verbal 10%
- SAT writing 10%
- SAT math 10%
The resulting rankings reflect a way of looking at education in the metro area and in the state, but is not the end of the story.
Follow GoLocalPDX for more education reporting and information throughout the year.
See the results of Top 100 High Schools
See the results of Top Metro High Schools
Related Slideshow: Top 100 Oregon High Schools
GoLocalPDX has ranked high schools across the state based on a method developed at Babson College, Mass. See below for the top 100 schools in the Beaver State.
#100
South Albany High School
Greater Albany Public School District
Enrollment: 1260
Economically disadvantaged: 55%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 86.9%
Met or exceeded math standards: 65.5%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 68.1%
Met or exceeded science standards: 54.6%
Four year graduation rate: 76.2%
Photo Credit: kamera kızı via Compfight cc
#99
Yamhill Carlton High
Yamhill Carlton School District
Enrollment: 375
Economically disadvantaged: 32%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 93.8%
Met or exceeded math standards: 60.8%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 47.9%
Met or exceeded science standards: 69.6%
Four year graduation rate: 83.8%
#97
Benson Polytechnic High
Portland School District
Enrollment: 819
Economically disadvantaged: 68%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 87.1%
Met or exceeded math standards: 75.9%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 40.8%
Met or exceeded science standards: 84%
Four year graduation rate: 82.2%
#96
North Marion High
North Marion School District
Enrollment: 588
Economically disadvantaged: 62%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 86.3%
Met or exceeded math standards: 64.9%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 58.6%
Met or exceeded science standards: 58.5%
Four year graduation rate: 87.6%
#95
Hidden Valley High
Three Rivers/Josephine County School District
Enrollment: 681
Economically disadvantaged: 53%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 83.7%
Met or exceeded math standards: 71.4%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 52.2%
Met or exceeded science standards: 66.7%
Four year graduation rate: 68.3%
Photo Credit: dcJohn via Compfight cc
Photo Credit: sleepyneko via Compfight cc
#94
North Valley High
Three Rivers/Josephine County School District
Enrollment: 522
Economically disadvantaged: 51%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 89.2
Met or exceeded math standards: 56%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 46.8%
Met or exceeded science standards: 72.2%
Four year graduation rate: 68.3%
Photo Credit: naosuke ii via Compfight cc
#92
Liberty High
Hillsboro School District
Enrollment: 1386
Economically disadvantaged: 46%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 89.8%
Met or exceeded math standards: 76%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 53.3%
Met or exceeded science standards: 65.8%
Four year graduation rate: 79.6%
Photo Credit: Aboutmovies, CC
#91
Academy of Arts and Academics
Springfield School District
Enrollment: 280
Economically disadvantaged: 49%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 90.7%
Met or exceeded math standards: 57.4%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 65.4%
Met or exceeded science standards: 73.6%
Four year graduation rate: 84.1%
#89
Crane Union high School
Harney County Union High School District
Enrollment: 69
Economically disadvantaged: 39%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 97.5%
Met or exceeded math standards: 97.5%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 52.2%
Met or exceeded science standards: 69.6%
Four year graduation rate: 95%
#87
Gold Beach High
Central Curry School District
Enrollment: 173
Economically disadvantaged: 57%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 91.9%
Met or exceeded math standards: 81.1%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 62.2%
Met or exceeded science standards: 80.8%
Four year graduation rate: 56.7%
Photo Credit: Google
#86
Dallas High
Dallas School District
Enrollment: 979
Economically disadvantaged: 35%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 84.4%
Met or exceeded math standards: 72.8%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 49%
Met or exceeded science standards: 69.8%
Four year graduation rate: 52.9%
Photo Credit: Tedder - Own work. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
#85
Newport High School
Lincoln County School District
Enrollment: 528
Economically disadvantaged: 43%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 91.7%
Met or exceeded math standards: 81.7%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 62.6%
Met or exceeded science standards: 57.8%
Four year graduation rate: 70.7%
Photo Credit: Finetooth - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
#84
LaPine Senior High
Bend-LaPine School District
Enrollment: 439
Economically disadvantaged: 63%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 88.9%
Met or exceeded math standards: 72.4%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 47.5%
Met or exceeded science standards: 62.2%
Four year graduation rate: 74.7%
Photo Credit: samantha celera via Compfight cc
#82
La Grande High
La Grande School District
Enrollment: 560
Economically disadvantaged: 37%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 84.3%
Met or exceeded math standards: 60%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 56.4%
Met or exceeded science standards: 59.4%
Four year graduation rate: 74.1%
Photo Credit: Fiorenza Thompson via Compfight cc
#81
Yoncalla High
Yoncalla School District
Enrollment: 87
Economically disadvantaged: 70%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 97.5%
Met or exceeded math standards: 58.8%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 64.7%
Met or exceeded science standards: 52.9%
Four year graduation rate: 78.8%
Visitor7 - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
#80
Elmira High
Fern Ridge School District
Enrollment: 436
Economically disadvantaged: 52%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 88.7%
Met or exceeded math standards: 70.1%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 63.5%
Met or exceeded science standards: 66.7%
Four year graduation rate: 77.6%
Photo Credit: Katr67 - Own work. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
#79
Churchill High
Eugene School District
Enrollment: 1020
Economically disadvantaged: 44%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 82.5%
Met or exceeded math standards: 73.6%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 68.8%
Met or exceeded science standards: 61.3%
Four year graduation rate: 69.2%
Photo Credit: EvelynGiggles via Compfight cc
#75
Klamath Union High
Klamath Falls City School District
Enrollment: 663
Economically disadvantaged: 56%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 81.9%
Met or exceeded math standards: 69.5%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 40.2%
Met or exceeded science standards: 54.8%
Four year graduation rate: 83.4%
Photo Credit: User:bobjgalindo - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
#71
Cottage Grove High
South Lane School District
Enrollment: 761
Economically disadvantaged: 59%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 90.4%
Met or exceeded math standards: 70.9%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 54.6%
Met or exceeded science standards: 64%
Four year graduation rate: 87.6%
Photo Credit: Visitor7 - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
#69
McKenzie High
McKenzie School District
Enrollment: 67
Economically disadvantaged: 61%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 91.7%
Met or exceeded math standards: 41.7%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 50%
Met or exceeded science standards: 83.3%
Four year graduation rate: 68%
Photo Credit: Tedder - Own work. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
#68
St. Helens High
St. Helens School District
Enrollment: 974
Economically disadvantaged: 36%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 91.4%
Met or exceeded math standards: 72.4%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 59.2%
Met or exceeded science standards: 66%
Four year graduation rate: 75.7%
Photo Credit: M.O. Stevens - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
#67
Lakeview Senior High
Lake County School District
Enrollment: 223
Economically disadvantaged: 45%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 87.8%
Met or exceeded math standards: 69.4%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 66.7%
Met or exceeded science standards: 73.5%
Four year graduation rate: 88.1%
#64
Clackamas Middle College
North Clackamas School District
Enrollment: 290
Economically disadvantaged: 28%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 91.4%
Met or exceeded math standards: 76.3%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 59.3%
Met or exceeded science standards: 78%
Four year graduation rate: 32.6%
Photo Credit: slightly everything via Compfight cc
#63
South Medford High
Medford School District
Enrollment: 1698
Economically disadvantaged: 56%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 87.9%
Met or exceeded math standards: 76.8%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 61.7%
Met or exceeded science standards: 71.2%
Four year graduation rate: 80.4%
Photo Credit: @RunRockPrincess via Compfight cc
#59
Weston-McEwen High
Athena-Weston School District
Enrollment: 164
Economically disadvantaged: 33%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 97.5%
Met or exceeded math standards: 61.1%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 76.5%
Met or exceeded science standards: 47.2%
Four year graduation rate: 75.7%
#55
Putnam High
North Clackamas School District
Enrollment: 1196
Economically disadvantaged: 39%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 88.6%
Met or exceeded math standards: 73.4%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 69.9%
Met or exceeded science standards: 59.3%
Four year graduation rate: 75.7%
#54
Neah-Kah-Nie High
Neah-Kah Nie School District
Enrollment: 181
Economically disadvantaged: 54%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 83.7%
Met or exceeded math standards: 58.5%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 41.9%
Met or exceeded science standards: 97.5%
Four year graduation rate: 87.5%
Photo Credit: albertogp123 via Compfight cc
#47
Junction City High
Junction City School District
Enrollment: 532
Economically disadvantaged: 54%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 85.6%
Met or exceeded math standards: 76.8%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 56.8%
Met or exceeded science standards: 64.8%
Four year graduation rate: 65.1%
Photo Credit: crazytales562 via Compfight cc
#46
Sam Barlow High
Gresham-Barlow School District
Enrollment: 1651
Economically disadvantaged: 38%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 84.5%
Met or exceeded math standards: 78.4%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 68.8%
Met or exceeded science standards: 76.7%
Four year graduation rate: 81.8%
#45
Forest Grove High
Forrest Grove School District
Enrollment: 1779
Economically disadvantaged: 59%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 89.4%
Met or exceeded math standards: 85.7%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 66.6%
Met or exceeded science standards: 61.1%
Four year graduation rate: 72.5%
#43
South Salem High
Salem-Keizer School District
Enrollment: 1835
Economically disadvantaged: 49%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 89.5%
Met or exceeded math standards: 73.3%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 66.2%
Met or exceeded science standards: 66.5%
Four year graduation rate: 81.9%
#42
Hood River Valley High
Hood River County School District
Enrollment: 1218
Economically disadvantaged: 57%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 87.1%
Met or exceeded math standards: 78.5%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 69.7%
Met or exceeded science standards: 53.5%
Four year graduation rate: 77.4%
#41
North Douglas High
North Doughlas School District
Enrollment: 98
Economically disadvantaged: 45%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 91.3%
Met or exceeded math standards: 78.3%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 72.7%
Met or exceeded science standards: 60.9%
Four year graduation rate: 69%
#38
Newberg Senior High
Newberg School District
Enrollment: 1508
Economically disadvantaged: 42%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 87.9%
Met or exceeded math standards: 77.6%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 71.8%
Met or exceeded science standards: 68.3%
Four year graduation rate: 78.2%
#37
West Salem High
Salem-Keizer School District
Enrollment: 1646
Economically disadvantaged: 35%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 92.7%
Met or exceeded math standards: 83.5%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 74.6%
Met or exceeded science standards: 74.2%
Four year graduation rate: 86.3%
#33
Oregon City Senior High
Oregon City School District
Enrollment: 2117
Economically disadvantaged: 34%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 97.5%
Met or exceeded math standards: 90.8%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 63%
Met or exceeded science standards: 76.7%
Four year graduation rate: 83%
#31
Silverton High
Silver Falls School District
Enrollment: 1179
Economically disadvantaged: 41%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 86.1%
Met or exceeded math standards: 74.1%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 71.9%
Met or exceeded science standards: 72.1 %
Four year graduation rate: 77.7%
#29
Bend Senior High
Bend-LaPine School District
Enrollment: 1527
Economically disadvantaged: 40%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 92.7%
Met or exceeded math standards: 88.4%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 65.9%
Met or exceeded science standards: 75.6%
Four year graduation rate: 78.7%
#28
Tualatin High
Tigard-Tualatin School District
Enrollment: 1714
Economically disadvantaged: 27%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 92.2%
Met or exceeded math standards: 76.7%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 62.9%
Met or exceeded science standards: 71.4%
Four year graduation rate: 84.4%
#27
Mountain View Senior High
Bend-LaPine School District
Enrollment: 1283
Economically disadvantaged: 42%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 93.7%
Met or exceeded math standards: 82%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 75.2%
Met or exceeded science standards: 76.1%
Four year graduation rate: 78.3%
Photo Credit: Vince Kusters via Compfight cc
#26
Tigard High
Tigard-Tualatin School District
Enrollment: 1835
Economically disadvantaged: 32%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 92.7%
Met or exceeded math standards: 83.5%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 64.5%
Met or exceeded science standards: 67.7%
Four year graduation rate: 80.8%
#23
Sprague High
Salem-Keizer School District
Enrollment: 1608
Economically disadvantaged: 32%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 97.5%
Met or exceeded math standards: 86.2%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 72.5%
Met or exceeded science standards: 79.6%
Four year graduation rate: 82.2%
Photo Credit: Jirka Matousek via Compfight cc
#22
Wilsonville High
West Linn-Wilsonville School District
Enrollment: 1093
Economically disadvantaged: 24%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 92.5%
Met or exceeded math standards: 74.1%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 74.2%
Met or exceeded science standards: 71.3%
Four year graduation rate: 85%
#21
West Albany High
Greater Albany Public School District
Enrollment: 1317
Economically disadvantaged: 28%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 92.3%
Met or exceeded math standards: 87.5%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 75%
Met or exceeded science standards: 84.9%
Four year graduation rate: 93.6%
Photo Credit: jonas maaloe via Compfight cc
#20
Clackamas High
North Clackamas School District
Enrollment: 2230
Economically disadvantaged: 29%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 91.7%
Met or exceeded math standards: 85.7%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 80.5%
Met or exceeded science standards: 74.2%
Four year graduation rate: 85.5%
#19
Pacific High
Port Orford-Langlois School District
Enrollment: 90
Economically disadvantaged: 53%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 90.9%
Met or exceeded math standards: 59.1%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 77.3%
Met or exceeded science standards: 68.2%
Four year graduation rate: 78.3%
Photo Credit: Tedder - Own work. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
#15
Summit High
Bend-LaPine School District
Enrollment: 1344
Economically disadvantaged: 22%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 93.3%
Met or exceeded math standards: 74.6%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 73.6%
Met or exceeded science standards: 73.6%
Four year graduation rate: 88.3%
Photo Credit: frankjuarez via Compfight cc
#12
Cleveland High
Portland School District
Enrollment: 1457
Economically disadvantaged: 29%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 92.6%
Met or exceeded math standards: 80.2%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 81.4%
Met or exceeded science standards: 59.7%
Four year graduation rate: 76.2%
Tedder - Own work. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
#10
Wilson High
Portland School District
Enrollment: 1185
Economically disadvantaged: 22%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 91.8%
Met or exceeded math standards: 80.4%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 82.8%
Met or exceeded science standards: 63.8%
Four year graduation rate: 84.4%
Photo Credit: KristinNador via Compfight cc
#8
Crescent Valley High
Corvallis School District
Enrollment: 965
Economically disadvantaged: 23%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 97.5%
Met or exceeded math standards: 85.3%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 78.1%
Met or exceeded science standards: 77.8%
Four year graduation rate: 70.1%
Photo Credit: Visitor7 - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
#7
West Linn High
West Linn-Wilsonville School District
Enrollment: 1514
Economically disadvantaged: 10%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 97.5%
Met or exceeded math standards: 87.9%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 85.8%
Met or exceeded science standards: 83.2%
Four year graduation rate: 93.2%
Photo Credit: Tedder - Own work. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
#6
Riverdale High
Riverdale School District
Enrollment: 242
Economically disadvantaged: <6%*
Met or exceeded reading standards: 97.5%
Met or exceeded math standards: 89.8%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 74.6%
Met or exceeded science standards: 74.6%
Four year graduation rate: 94.2%
*numbers less than 6% are represented by an asterisk in the Oregon Department of Education data.
#5
School of Science & Technology
Beaverton School District
Enrollment: 167
Economically disadvantaged: 20%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 97.5%
Met or exceeded math standards: 97.5%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 86%
Met or exceeded science standards: 63.9%
Four year graduation rate: 81.1%
#4
Lincoln High
Portland School District
Enrollment: 1471
Economically disadvantaged: 12%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 92.5%
Met or exceeded math standards: 85.3%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 88.1%
Met or exceeded science standards: 79.9%
Four year graduation rate: 89.3%
Photo Credit: Tedder - Own work. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
#2
South Eugene High
Eugene School District
Enrollment: 1321
Economically disadvantaged: 24%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 97.5%
Met or exceeded math standards: 91.6%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 84.9%
Met or exceeded science standards: 89.2%
Four year graduation rate: 79.4%
Photo Credit: katalicia1 via Compfight cc
#1
Lake Oswego Senior High
Lake Oswego School District
Enrollment: 1224
Economically disadvantaged: 6%
Met or exceeded reading standards: 97.5%
Met or exceeded math standards: 92.4%
Met or exceeded writing standards: 89.1%
Met or exceeded science standards: 87.7%
Four year graduation rate: 89.5%
Photo Credit: KristinNador via Compfight cc
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