Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 97702

The 97702 zip code area of Bend, Oregon is home to two middle schools: Cascade Middle School and High Desert Middle School, both part of the Bend-LaPine Administrative School District 1. Based on the available data, Cascade Middle School emerges as the standout performer, ranking in the top 10% of Oregon middle schools and earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Cascade Middle School students significantly outperform their peers at High Desert Middle School on standardized tests across all subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, 67.1% of 6th graders at Cascade were proficient in English Language Arts, compared to just 37.7% at High Desert. Cascade Middle School also serves a more affluent student population, with a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch.

While both schools have high chronic absenteeism rates around 34%, Cascade Middle School spends slightly more per student ($14,843) compared to High Desert Middle School ($14,643). The student-teacher ratio is also slightly higher at Cascade Middle School (23.1) than at High Desert Middle School (22.8). These differences in resources and student demographics may contribute to the significant performance gap between the two schools, suggesting the need for further investigation to understand the root causes and potentially replicate Cascade Middle School's success across the district.