Summary
Centennial Middle School is a grades 6–8 school in Portland, Oregon, serving 876 students in Centennial School District 28J, making it the largest middle school among its nearby peers. Statewide, it ranks 264th of 371 schools in 2025–2026 (29th percentile, 1 star), while its district ranks 125th of 141 Oregon districts (11th percentile, 1 star). The school has declined over the past decade, from the 59th percentile in 2015–2016 to the 27th–29th percentile range in recent years. The poverty context is high: reported free/reduced lunch was 102.17% in 2024–2025, a figure above 100% that likely reflects meal-counting nuances, and most nearby schools also report near or above 100%.
Within its own district, Centennial clearly outperforms its same-district peer Oliver Middle by wide margins — ELA +17.8 points, math +12.1, and science +10.5 — and sits above district averages in every tested subject. Among 11 nearby schools, it ranks 4th in overall percentile, 4th in math, 5th in ELA, and 3rd in science. Even so, the top nearby schools — Walt Morey Middle School (41st percentile), Floyd Light Middle School (40th), and Alice Ott Middle School (39th) — post higher math and ELA proficiency. Centennial remains below state averages in ELA (35.5 vs. 43.8), math (20.7 vs. 32.9), and science (21.5 vs. 30.6).
Grade 7 is the strongest area, with ELA at 42.2 and math at 31.4, both near state averages. The biggest academic gaps are grade 6 math (12.5 vs. state 29.7), grade 8 math (16.9 vs. 30.0), and grade 8 ELA (30.9 vs. 41.5), while science is a relative strength. Chronic absenteeism is 39.6%, above the state's 33.5% but improved from 44.2% in 2022–2023; Alice Ott's 24.8% offers a sharp contrast, though Reynolds Middle School is higher at 51.1%. Results for student groups are uneven: special education students rank 190th of 193 (2nd percentile, 0 stars), and gifted and Asian students rank at the 25th and 18th percentiles. Low-income and multi-racial students have improved to roughly the 51st and 52nd percentiles. Centennial spends $19,319 per student, less than seven of ten nearby schools, with a student-teacher ratio of 20.3.
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