Summary
Molalla River Academy is a K–8 school serving 224 students in Molalla, Oregon, part of Molalla River School District 35, a district ranking 103rd of 141 Oregon districts (27th percentile, 1 star). The school's own 2025–26 rank is 461st of 709 Oregon schools — 35th percentile, 2 stars. That is a real rebound from the prior two years, when it sat around the 10th percentile, but it is still below the school's mid-2010s peaks near the 50th percentile.
Academically, 2025–26 all-grade proficiency was 29.3% in English language arts, 21.6% in math, and 19.0% in science — each below state averages (43.8%, 32.9%, and 30.6%). Most nearby schools, including same-district Clarkes Elementary School, Rural Dell Elementary School, and Mulino Elementary School, score higher. Math is the clearest concern: 5th grade math is under 5% proficient, 8th grade math 11.8%, and 4th grade math 15.8%. There are bright spots — 3rd grade ELA at 50% and 6th grade math at 33.3% — but with roughly 25 students per grade, a single student can shift these rates several points.
Attendance stands out as a strength: chronic absenteeism was 22.8% in 2024–25, far below the district's 35.8% and the state's 33.5%, and lower than every nearby school except Ninety-One School at 21.4%. Free/reduced lunch participation is 64.73%, up sharply from earlier years, a jump that likely reflects reporting changes and should be read cautiously. Notably, reported per-student spending is $8,450, while every nearby school reports roughly $15,000–$21,000. Subgroup rankings for female and male students both improved in 2025–26.
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