Best Public Schools in Gresham, OR

Gresham, Oregon is home to 22 schools — 13 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, 4 high schools, and 1 alternative school — serving about 13,436 students, most of them in Gresham-Barlow School District 10J and three in Centennial School District 28J. Citywide averages fall below Oregon in all three tested subjects, so parents should compare schools individually rather than rely on a district name.

One school stands clearly above the rest: Gresham Arthur Academy, a 168-student elementary charter, posts 75.3% ELA and 56.2% math proficiency (state: 43.8% and 32.9%), the lowest chronic absenteeism in the city at 10.1%, and an 87th-percentile rank with 4 stars — while spending only $6,048 per student. Among traditional district elementaries, East Orient Elementary (56.0% ELA) and Pleasant Valley Elementary lead, the latter reaching 42.7% math and 36.1% science despite 95.73% free/reduced lunch. At the high school level, Sam Barlow High (89.4% graduation, 54.7% ELA) and Springwater Trail High (92.0% graduation, the city's highest) outperform their peers.

Challenges are concentrated at specific campuses. Hall Elementary is the lowest performer (14.4% ELA, 3rd percentile) despite $20,878 per student and a 14.8 student-teacher ratio. Gresham High has the lowest math (8.6%) and 58.6% chronic absenteeism, while Metro East Web Academy records 51.9% graduation, 60.2% chronic absenteeism, and 8th-grade math under 5%. All four middle schools trail the state, with Clear Creek Middle lowest (20.8% ELA, 5th percentile). Note these are simple unweighted averages, and free/reduced lunch is not reported for Metro East or Lupine Community Montessori Charter School.