Summary:
Vernonia, Oregon is served by Vernonia School District 47J, a small district of three schools — one elementary, one middle, and one high school — covering grades K–12 on a single shared campus at 1000 Missouri Ave, with 523 students in total. The district ranks 79 of 141 Oregon districts (44th percentile, 2 stars). Poverty indicators are high and similar across all three schools, with free/reduced lunch at roughly 70–72%, and per-student spending ranges from $17,699 to $24,829 (weighted average about $22,056). Chronic absenteeism is above the state's 33.5% at every school.
Vernonia High School is the clear standout, rising from 18th percentile and 1 star to 69th percentile and 3 stars (83 of 271) in 2025–2026. Its All Grades ELA (66.7%) and science (51.9%) are well above both district and state averages, and 11th-grade ELA is 66.7% versus 46.0% statewide. Math remains a major weakness at 11.5% (versus 32.9% statewide), the graduation rate is 80.0% (below the state's 83.0%), and it has the district's highest chronic absenteeism at 47.3%. Meanwhile, Vernonia Elementary School improved to 505 of 709 (29th percentile) but remains at 1 star, and Vernonia Middle School slipped to 261 of 371 (30th percentile) and 1 star.
Mathematics is a district-wide weakness: every school falls below the state's 32.9% — elementary 24.7%, middle 12.1%, and high school 11.5% — with middle school 6th-grade math at 5.1% and 8th grade at 9.5%. Science results split sharply by level, from 8.0% in 5th grade to 25.0% in 8th grade and 51.9% at the high school. ELA also varies by grade: 3rd grade is above state while 5th grade is far below, and 6th-grade ELA trails the state while 7th and 8th grades are above it. Higher spending does not uniformly track with stronger outcomes. For families, the district's main strengths are the high school's ELA, science, and rapid ranking gains; its broadest concerns are math, absenteeism, and a graduation rate slightly below the state's.
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