Summary:
Zip code 97322 in Albany, Oregon is home to two middle schools: Timber Ridge School (grades 3–8, 657 students) and Calapooia Middle School (grades 6–8, 585 students). Both belong to Greater Albany Public School District 8J, and both serve similarly high-poverty populations — about three in four students at each school qualify for free or reduced-price lunch (76.86% and 76.07%). Because Timber Ridge includes elementary grades, the cleanest comparison is at grades 6–8, where both schools report.
Timber Ridge School is the standout, ranked 94th of 371 Oregon middle schools (75th percentile, 4 stars) and holding 4 stars in every year on record. It beats the district and the state in all three tested subjects: 54.3% proficient in English language arts, 38.1% in math, and 42.5% in science — roughly 10.5, 5.2, and 11.9 points above state, respectively. Its 7th- and 8th-grade ELA results (64.6% and 64.2%) are especially strong. Notably, it accomplishes this while spending less per student ($9,050) than Calapooia ($18,651) and with slightly larger classes (20.0 vs. 17.1 students per teacher).
Calapooia Middle School ranks 201st of 371 (46th percentile, 2 stars) but is improving fast — up about 18 percentile points and from 1 star to 2 stars over two years. Science is its strength (34.1%, above the district's 31.7% and state's 30.6%); math is its weak spot (21.5%, about 11.4 points below state). A shared concern is 6th-grade math, where both schools fall below the state (19.8% and 16.7% vs. 29.7%), and the district trails too. Attendance also tracks results: Calapooia's chronic absenteeism (38.3%) tops the district (34.8%) and state (33.5%), while Timber Ridge (33.3%) sits slightly below both.
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