Summary
Malabon Elementary School is a K–5 school serving about 322 students on the west side of Eugene, Oregon, within Bethel School District 52, where roughly 90% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. For 2025–26 it ranks 655th of 709 Oregon elementary schools (8th percentile) with a 0-star rating — the lowest-ranked of the six Bethel schools. Proficiency sits below both its district and the state: 24.5% in English language arts, 15.8% in math, and 16.4% in science, compared with district rates of 32.8%, 20.2%, and 17.4%. Math is the deepest weakness, especially in fifth grade, where roughly one in thirteen students meets the standard. Science is closest to the district average.
This is not a one-year dip. Malabon Elementary School has slid from the 68th percentile a decade ago to the 7th–18th percentile range over the past five years. Two bright spots stand out. Chronic absenteeism is 31.7%, better than the state average of 33.5%, and the school has nearly closed its gap to its district after being 13.8 points behind in 2020–21. Students with disabilities also rank at the 57th percentile with a 3-star rating — the only above-median result in the school's profile. Per-student spending is $18,591, near the low end among nearby schools, and has risen about 21% since 2021–22 while results have stayed flat.
The most telling comparison is Fairfield Elementary School, less than a mile away, with almost identical poverty levels, class sizes, and funding — yet 41.4% ELA and 31.0% math proficiency, roughly 17 and 15 points higher. Prairie Mountain School, a couple of miles away, posts results similar to Malabon's, while schools in neighboring Eugene School District 4J generally spend $5,000–$10,000 more per student. Malabon's outcomes are not fully explained by the students it serves, and attendance is its most credible improvement story.
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