Schools in Zip Code 97203

ZIP code 97203 in North Portland (the St. Johns, Portsmouth, and University Park area) is served by seven public schools — five elementary-level schools (two of them K–8), one middle school, and one high school — enrolling a combined 3,594 students, all within Portland School District 1J, a district ranked in the top 9% of Oregon. Enrollment varies widely, from 172 students at Rosa Parks Elementary School to 1,450 at Roosevelt High School.

Astor Elementary School is the clear standout, the only school here that beats the Oregon average in English language arts (54.2% vs. 43.8%), math (49.6% vs. 32.9%), and science (40.8% vs. 30.6%), with the lowest chronic absenteeism in the group (29.0%) and the lowest per-student spending ($22,483). Sitton Elementary School is the only other school above the state average in ELA and math. At the other end, Roosevelt High School has the lowest math proficiency (11.5%), the highest absenteeism (53.8%), and a 70.4% graduation rate versus 82.5% district and 83.0% state — though it is the only school with a clearly improving three-year trend. Rosa Parks Elementary School spends the most per student ($33,324) yet ranks in the bottom 2% of Oregon schools, while Cesar Chavez K-8 School and George Middle School have ranked near the bottom for three straight years.

As a ZIP, 97203 averages 32.2% ELA, 24.3% math, and 22.0% science proficiency — roughly 11 to 12 points below the state in every subject — with 42.3% chronic absenteeism, well above the state's 33.5%. James John Elementary School sits in the middle. Notably, higher spending here lines up with lower outcomes, but that likely reflects need-based funding rather than spending inefficiency, and absenteeism tracks achievement more consistently than any other measure. This is a single-year snapshot of a small group of schools, so treat these patterns as signals to explore, not conclusions.