Pendleton High School

Pendleton High School is a public high school serving grades 9–12 in Pendleton, Oregon, a small city in eastern Oregon, with 763 students. It is part of Pendleton School District 16, which is rated 1 star (22nd percentile) among Oregon districts. The school itself ranked 117 of 271 Oregon high schools in 2025–26 (57th percentile, 3 stars), a big jump from the 19th–22nd percentile it held in 2021–22 and 2022–23.

Academically, the picture is mixed. Science is the standout: 45.3% of students were proficient in 2025–26, well above Oregon's 30.6% all-grades and 33.8% 11th-grade rates, and far above nearby schools such as Nixyaawii Community School (6.3%), Hawthorne Alternative High School (18.2%), Weston-McEwen High School (27%), and Pilot Rock High School (31%). Math is the weakest area, with only 20.8% proficient — below the state's 32.9% all-grades and 22.9% 11th-grade rates. English language arts came in at 37.3%, below the state's 43.8% all-grades and 46% 11th-grade figures but above the district's rates.

The school's 94.6% graduation rate in 2024–25 is well above the district's 89.7% and the state's 83.0%, and a major gain from 78.5% in 2020–21. Chronic absenteeism, at 37.2%, is above the state (33.5%) and district (33.3%) rates and remains a real challenge, though far lower than Nixyaawii Community School (56.4%) or Hawthorne Alternative High School (94.2%). The school ranks strongly for low-income students (83rd percentile, 4 stars) and special education students (73rd percentile, 4 stars). It is much larger than nearby schools, spends $19,115 per student, has a 19.7 student-teacher ratio, and reports 96.33% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch. Watch points: math and ELA scores below state averages, attendance, and a sharp drop for multi-racial students (5th percentile) in a small subgroup.