Summary:
Jefferson County School District 509J is a small, high-poverty Central Oregon district serving 2,709 students across eight schools — five elementary, one middle, and two high schools spanning grades K–12, plus an online program. The district ranks 130th of 141 Oregon districts (8th percentile, 0 stars) and trails the state in every subject: ELA 25.6% versus 43.8%, math 15.9% versus 32.9%, and science 14.3% versus 30.6%. Free/reduced lunch rates run from 90.3% to 101.7%, indicating near-universal economic disadvantage.
Two elementaries stand out. Buff Elementary is the only school outperforming the state in a core subject — 44.7% ELA proficient versus 43.8% statewide — and posts the district's lowest chronic absenteeism (28.3%, below the state's 33.5%), lowest per-student spending ($21,823), and the only 3-star rating in recent district history. Metolius Elementary ranks 39th percentile (2 stars), with 3rd-grade math proficiency of 51.9%, more than 10 points above the state. Meanwhile Madras High School graduates 95.9% of its students (versus 91.7% district and 83.0% state), yet only 26.5% are ELA-proficient and 7.7% math-proficient at 11th grade.
The gaps elsewhere are stark. Warm Springs K-8 Academy ranks at the 1st percentile, with the district's lowest proficiencies in all three subjects and 44.7% chronic absenteeism. Bridges High School reports 91.1% chronic absenteeism — roughly triple the state rate — and a 76.6% graduation rate, while spending $41,554 per student, the district's highest. 509J On-Line, with 27 students, shows 72.7% chronic absenteeism and has most academic data suppressed by the state. Notably, spending does not track outcomes here, and absenteeism generally moves inversely with achievement — with Metolius the clear exception.
Thank you for your feedback!