Summary:
ZIP code 97838 covers Hermiston, Oregon, and includes 9 public schools serving students from elementary through high school in Hermiston School District 8: one high school, two middle schools, and six elementary schools, with a total enrollment of about 5,320 students.
Academically, the schools in this area vary widely despite sharing very similar student populations. Every school has a free/reduced-price lunch rate above 91%, yet results differ sharply. Desert View Elementary School is the clear standout: it ranks 130 of 709 elementary schools (82nd percentile, 4 stars) and is the only school beating state averages in all three tested subjects — 61.5% in English language arts, 52.5% in math, and 43.2% in science. Highland Hills Elementary School is close behind (75th percentile, 4 stars, 57.0% ELA and 46.5% math) and has the area's lowest chronic absenteeism at 20.1%, far below the district's 34.5% and the state's 33.5%. At the other end, Rocky Heights Elementary School ranks in the 28th percentile with 1 star and has the ZIP's second-highest absenteeism at 39.2%. Parents should also note that Hermiston High School has a solid 85% graduation rate but very low math proficiency (16.5%) and the highest absenteeism in the area (44.2%).
Across the district, science is a weak spot: district science is 25.8%, below the state's 30.6%, and only Desert View and Highland Hills exceed the state rate. Middle schools are mixed, with Sandstone Middle School stronger in science and Armand Larive Middle School stronger in math. West Park Elementary School and Sunset Elementary School show promise, the latter improving from the 27th to the 41st percentile, while Loma Vista Elementary has declined to the 35th percentile. Higher spending does not guarantee better results, but the top-performing schools tend to combine strong academics with better attendance.
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