Best Public Schools in Colton, OR

The city of Colton, Oregon is home to four schools serving students from elementary through high school, including Colton Elementary School, Colton High School, Colton Virtual Academy, and Colton Middle School. However, the data reveals that these schools are consistently underperforming compared to state averages across a range of key metrics.

None of the Colton schools appear to be standouts, as all four institutions are struggling with low test scores, graduation rates, and high chronic absenteeism. For example, in 2024-2025, only 25% of 5th-grade students at Colton Elementary School were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 46.7%. Similarly, Colton High School and Colton Virtual Academy both had a 4-year graduation rate of 81.8% in 2023-2024, which is lower than the state average. Additionally, all four Colton schools had a chronic absenteeism rate of 34.3% in 2023-2024, significantly higher than the state average.

The data also reveals that the Colton school district faces significant socioeconomic challenges, with high rates of free and reduced-price lunch recipients across all schools, ranging from 40.74% at Colton High School to 47.32% at Colton Middle School. This, combined with the consistently low performance of the schools, suggests that the district may need to implement more comprehensive and effective strategies to address the underlying issues and improve educational outcomes for the students of Colton.