Summary:
ZIP code 97018 is served by a single elementary school, Columbia City School, which serves grades K–5 in the St Helens School District 502 and enrolls 214 students in Columbia City, Oregon.
Because it is the only elementary school in the area, there is no local peer school to compare it against. Compared with district and state figures, its academic results are weak overall, but it has one clear bright spot: chronic absenteeism is 28.8%, which is 10.1 percentage points lower than the district’s 38.9% and 4.7 points lower than the state’s 33.5%. In 2025–2026, proficiency was 22.6% in English language arts (8.2 points below the district and 21.2 below the state), 21.9% in math (2.0 points above the district but 11.0 below the state), and 14.8% in science (12.0 points below the district and 15.8 below the state). Third grade was the strongest grade level, with 32.6% proficient in ELA and 30.2% in math, both close to district averages. By fifth grade, proficiency was 14.8% in ELA, math, and science, making it the weakest grade level.
The school’s latest SchoolDigger rating is 628 out of 709 Oregon schools, or the 11th percentile with 1 star, down from 483 out of 706, the 32nd percentile with 2 stars, the prior year. The district itself ranks 106 out of 141 districts, or the 25th percentile with 1 star. Enrollment is 214, 72.9% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, per-student spending is $21,443, and the student–teacher ratio is 17.7. Families should note the strong attendance results, the relative strength in math and third grade, and the significant drop in the latest ranking.
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