Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 97478

ZIP code 97478 in Springfield, Oregon contains six public elementary schools — Riverbend Elementary School, Ridgeview Elementary School, Mt Vernon Elementary School, Thurston Elementary School, Douglas Gardens Elementary School, and Walterville Elementary School — all serving grades K–5 in Springfield School District 19, with a combined enrollment of about 1,962 students (from 172 to 424 per school). Because grade spans, district, and testing are identical across the group, these schools compare cleanly, and they range from the 14th to the 84th percentile of Oregon elementary schools.

Thurston Elementary School is the clear leader: 4 stars, roughly the top 16% of Oregon elementaries, top marks in ELA (62.0), math (57.7), and science (43.8), and the lowest chronic absenteeism here (20.9%). Douglas Gardens Elementary School is the biggest improver, rising from the 66th to the 82nd percentile and posting a 3rd-grade math score of 74.4%. Walterville Elementary School (61st percentile) and Ridgeview Elementary School (54th) sit in the middle. Mt Vernon Elementary School (28th) and Riverbend Elementary School (14th, 1 star, with 5th-grade math reported as under 5%) trail the group.

Two patterns matter most for families. First, attendance tracks achievement closely: the highest-performing schools have the lowest chronic absenteeism, and Mt Vernon (43.8%) is above the state rate. Second, money and class size do not explain results here — spending ranges from $20,936 to $24,070 per student and student-teacher ratios from 15.0 to 20.4 with no consistent link to outcomes. Science is the shared weak spot: only Thurston and Walterville meet or beat the state figure of 30.6%, while the rest range from 11.5% to 32.0%.