Elementary Schools in Jefferson County School District 509J

Elementary schools in Jefferson County School District 509J include five schools serving roughly 1,453 students: three K–5 schools (Madras Elementary School, Buff Elementary School, and Metolius Elementary School) and two K–8 schools (Warm Springs K-8 Academy, the largest at 499 students, and 509J On-Line, the smallest at 27). The district as a whole ranks 130th of 141 in Oregon, at the 8th percentile with 0 stars, yet performance varies dramatically from school to school.

Buff Elementary School is the strongest overall performer: highest English Language Arts proficiency at 44.7% (slightly above the state's 43.8%) and highest science at 23.5%, plus the lowest chronic absenteeism at 28.3% and the lowest per-student spending at $21,823. It ranks 401st of 709 (43rd percentile, 2 stars), though it slipped from 3 stars the prior year. Metolius Elementary School leads in math at 32.0%, nearly matching the state's 32.9%, and improved from 1 star to 2 stars (39th percentile). Madras Elementary School sits in the middle, with ELA at 26.6%, math at 19.8%, and absenteeism of 33.0%.

Warm Springs K-8 Academy faces the steepest challenges: the lowest proficiency in every subject (ELA 11.5%, math 6.7%, science 7.0%), 44.7% chronic absenteeism, the highest spending at $25,483, and a 1st percentile rank with 0 stars. 509J On-Line has 72.7% chronic absenteeism and many suppressed results due to its tiny size. Note that math is a district-wide weakness (15.9% vs. the state's 32.9%), and free/reduced-lunch figures above 100% suggest near-universal economic need.