Vernonia Middle School

Vernonia Middle School is a public middle school in Vernonia, Oregon, serving 133 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Vernonia School District 47J, which is ranked 121 out of 140 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Vernonia Middle School itself has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Oregon middle schools, with a 2-star rating in the most recent school year.

Vernonia Middle School faces significant challenges, including very high chronic absenteeism rates ranging from 34.3% to 48.6% over the past few years, well above the state average. The school's test scores in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are also consistently well below the state averages, with only 22.7% of 6th graders proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state average of 41.7%. The school's performance across all grade levels and subject areas is significantly lagging, and its rankings for female, male, white, and low socioeconomic status students are all in the bottom half or bottom 25% of Oregon middle schools.

Interestingly, the nearby middle schools, such as St. Helens Middle School, Banks Middle School, and Scappoose Middle School, generally outperform Vernonia Middle School on key metrics like test scores and chronic absenteeism. Despite spending a relatively high amount per student, around $15,900 per year, Vernonia Middle School's performance has remained stagnant or declined over the past several years, suggesting a need for a comprehensive review and improvement plan to address the underlying issues and provide a better educational experience for its students.