Summary:
ZIP code 97351 has one public elementary school, Independence Elementary School, serving grades K–5 in Independence, Oregon, as part of Central School District 13J. Because it is the only elementary school in the ZIP, there are no within-ZIP school-to-school comparisons; the useful context is how it compares with its district and Oregon averages.
In 2025–2026, the school ranked 611 of 709 Oregon elementary schools, in the 14th percentile with 1 star; in 2024–2025 it ranked 682 of 706, in the 3rd percentile with 0 stars, and in 2023–2024 it ranked 599 of 710, in the 16th percentile with 1 star. Its all-grade 2025–2026 OSAS proficiency was 26.8% in English Language Arts, 19.6% in math, and 18.0% in science, below district rates of 35.9%, 21.3%, and 18.5% and state rates of 43.8%, 32.9%, and 30.6%. The strongest relative results are 3rd grade ELA (33.3%), 3rd grade math (31.0%), and 5th grade ELA (32.2%); the weakest are 4th grade ELA (16.4%), 4th grade math (14.9%), 5th grade math (13.6%), and 5th grade science (18.0%).
Other context is important for families. Chronic absenteeism was 48.6% in 2024–2025, compared with 37.4% in the district and 33.5% statewide. Free/reduced lunch eligibility was 93.18%, per-student spending was $19,171, and the student-teacher ratio was 21.2. The district itself ranks 120 of 141 districts, in the 15th percentile with 1 star, so the school’s low state ranking reflects a broader district pattern rather than an isolated case. For parents, the data show a high-need school with significant investment, but proficiency remains below district and state in every major subject and absenteeism is a major concern.
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