Best High Schools in Zip Code 97862

ZIP code 97862 has one public high school, McLoughlin High School, serving grades 9–12 in Milton-Freewater, Oregon, as part of Milton-Freewater Unified School District 7. It enrolls 449 students, and because it is the only high school in the ZIP code, it is the sole public high-school option for local families. Its rank history shows clear improvement: it moved from 239th of 268 in 2023–2024 to 229th of 270 in 2024–2025 to 184th of 271 in 2025–2026, rising from the 11th percentile to the 32nd percentile and from 1 star to 2 stars. That is a 55-rank gain over two years, though the school still ranks below the state median.

Academic outcomes are mixed. The graduation rate is a major strength: 97.0% in 2024–2025, 14.0 percentage points above Oregon’s 83.0%. Chronic absenteeism is a serious concern at 47.6%, well above the district’s 34.8% and the state’s 33.5%. About 73.27% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch, per-student spending is $17,721, and the student-teacher ratio is 18.5. On OSAS tests for 2025–2026, the school’s all-grades and 11th-grade results are identical. Compared with 11th-grade state results, math is 19.4% vs. 22.9% (3.5 points below), ELA is 36.8% vs. 46.0% (9.2 points below), and science is 23.7% vs. 33.8% (10.1 points below). Against all-grade state results, the gaps look larger, especially in math (19.4% vs. 32.9%).

For parents, the takeaway is that McLoughlin High School is improving in relative rank and has an exceptional graduation rate, but it also faces high absenteeism and below-state proficiency in ELA, math, and science. The 11th-grade comparison is the most appropriate high-school measure because the school’s all-grades results are identical to its grade 11 results; under that lens, math is closest to state, while science and ELA are further behind. The high free/reduced lunch rate indicates substantial economic need, and the school spends $17,721 per student. Since there is no other public high school in ZIP 97862, families should weigh the strong completion outcomes against the attendance and test-score challenges when considering this school.