Summary:
ZIP code 97042 covers Mulino, Oregon, a small community served by just two public schools: Mulino Elementary School and Clarkes Elementary School. Both are K–5 elementary schools in Molalla River School District 35, enrolling 357 students combined (204 at Mulino, 153 at Clarkes). There are no middle or high schools in the ZIP code, so students in grades 6–12 attend school outside the immediate area. Both schools serve a similar population, with free or reduced lunch at roughly 65–66% at each.
Clarkes is the stronger academic performer. In 2025–2026 it ranked 240 of 709 schools (66th percentile, 3 stars), compared with Mulino's 399 of 709 (44th percentile, 2 stars). Clarkes leads in ELA (54.5% proficient vs. 40.9%), math (43.3% vs. 35.1%) and science (28.0% vs. 20.0%), and it scores above state averages in ELA and math. Mulino's standout is attendance: chronic absenteeism of 27.9%, lower than Clarkes (35.9%), the district (35.8%) and the state (33.5%). Mulino also posts the single best grade-level result — 56.5% proficient in 3rd-grade math, 8.7 points above Clarkes. Both schools beat their district averages in all three subjects, but both are below the state in science and weaker in 5th grade, and both have slipped in state rank percentile over the past three years.
Spending and class size do not track with results here. Mulino spends $17,353 per student with a 17.0 student–teacher ratio, while Clarkes spends $16,595 with a 15.3 ratio — yet Clarkes posts higher proficiency in every subject. Parents weighing the two should consider Clarkes' stronger test scores alongside Mulino's better attendance and unusually strong 3rd-grade math, keeping in mind that both schools outperform their district even as their state rankings decline.
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