Oregon Report Cards

Each fall, Oregon releases three major reports on public schools:

• Oregon school report cards
• Student achievement on state tests in reading, writing, mathematics, and science
• Federal Adequate Yearly Progress report required under No Child Left Behind

Of the three reports, the school report cards offer the most complete look at how schools are performing because they include a more thorough review of school quality. Included in Oregon’s school report cards is information on student test performance, school improvement, attendance, dropout rates, class size, SAT scores, expulsions due to weapons, and teacher education and experience.

Oregon Report Card History

Oregon law (ORS 329.105) requires that the Oregon Department of Education issue performance reports for public schools.  These performance reports shall include school ratings for:

• Statewide Assessment Results
• Student Attendance
• Student Dropout Rates

Schools shall be rated as:

• Outstanding
• Satisfactory
• Needs Improvement

Beginning in 2009, schools will be divided into three categories: outstanding, satisfactory, or in need of improvement.

History and Rules

Report cards are released in the fall each year for the previous school year.  Report cards are issued for each Oregon school district as well as individual schools.

Oregon school report cards were first issued in January 2000 with the rating formulas and rules remaining largely unchanged during the first three years. Extensive revisions in the formula were reflected in the report cards released in January 2003. Additional changes in displays were incorporated for January 2004 to bring the report card into compliance with requirements o f the No Child Left Behind Act.

Senate Bill 811 passed in July 2001 requires specific data elements to be displayed on school and district report cards. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 mandates additional data elements and displays for school and district report cards produced by states.

Changes for 2009

In 2009, the state revamped its grading system for the first time since Oregon began publishing report cards in 2000.  It now judges schools not just on how well students preformed, but on how much they improved. For example, students who showed a significant gain from the previous year − even those whose testing still failed to meet state standards − now boost their school's overall performance grade.  

Schools that get a grade of unacceptable face no consequences apart from having to send a copy of that report card home to every parent. That will change when the state updates its grading system next year, however.

Beginning in 2009, schools will be divided into three categories: outstanding, satisfactory or in need of improvement. Previously they used five categories.  Schools in the bottom category will face consequences from the state that will escalate every year the school rates unsatisfactory.

Sanctions for Poor Performing Schools

The In Need of Improvement rating has to be addressed and corrected. Report cards help focus local and state assistance with low-performing schools receiving technical assistance from the Oregon Department of Education. A school that is designated as In Need of Improvement must file a school improvement plan with the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the school district board, and the 21st Century Schools Council at the school

Federal vs. State Report Cards

The annual Oregon school report cards differ from the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) ratings.  The state judges schools on average student performances, while the federal rating scrutinize individual groups such as limited English, minority, and special education students.  If one of those groups doesn't meet performance targets, the school is downgraded.

Two Web sites for information about NCLB:

• For further information, visit the US Department of Education's Web site at No Child Left Behind.  The site includes a "Parents Guide", newsletter subscription, etc.
• Learning First, an non-profit education organization, has published a document that explains the law.  This document is fairly easy to read and understand.

Portland Monthly Magazine Guide to Schools

In their December issue each year, the Portland Monthly magazine reports on over 600 schools in the metro area and make what they referred to as a "crib sheet."  The sheet gives school rankings, test scores, and statistics that will help you evaluate the schools without the need for in-depth study.

Included in the document are Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) programs, average number of students per grade, and Oregon Statewide Assessment (OSA), etc.  They track 11 different variables.

Oregon schools saw their state report card ratings fall for the 2010-11 school year. The drop was attributed to higher math standards for elementary and middle school students and a large number of high schools that didn't test all students in science or writing. 

About 28 percent of the 1,200 rated schools received an "outstanding," leaving about 64 percent as "satisfactory." The number of schools rated "in need of improvement" more than doubled from 45 to 98 schools.

Despite the higher standards, however, plenty of elementary and middle schools performed admirably on their report cards. Schools rated "outstanding" outnumbered low-rated schools at most metro-area districts, including Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro, North Clackamas and Gresham-Barlow.

High schools bore the brunt of the jump in low-performing schools last year, but many were docked for problems that resulted from the state changing the testing year from sophomores to juniors. High schools were told to retest juniors in reading, math, science and writing who had not met benchmarks on the state assessment test as sophomores. Usually, participation counts whether or not the student reaches benchmarks. This year, all juniors will be tested in those subjects.

About 30 of the 42 high schools that fell to "needs improvement" did so only because they failed to test enough of their juniors in science or writing, according to data from the Oregon Department of Education. Writing and science scores are not part of the report card rating, only the number of students taking them. 

State legislation requires the report card rating to take into account student performance on state reading and math tests, improvement in student performance, number of students who took state tests, and attendance or graduation rates. 

High schools did not comply with the participation requirement for a number of reasons ranging from confusion over which students still needed to take the test to refusing to give it to some students.

Portland Schools Rated Outstanding

• Elementary:  Abernethy, Ainsworth, Alameda, Astor, Atkinson, Beverly Cleary, Bridleman, Buckman, Capitol Hill, Chapman,  Duniway, Emerson, Forest Park, Glencoe, Hayhurst, Laurelhurst, Lewis, Llewellyn, Maplewood, Mt. Tabor, Portland Author Academy Charter School, Richmond, Rieke, Skyline, Stephenson, Sunnyside, Winterhaven, Woodstock
• Middle:  Beaumont, da Vinci, West Sylvan
• K-8: Creative Science, Roseway Heights
• High School:  Benson, Lincoln, Wilson
• K-12: Metropolitan Learning Center

Portland Public Schools had eight schools deemed in need of improvement including four of its nine high schools: Grant, Madison, Jefferson and Roosevelt.

Find Out How Your School Rated

The State of Oregon Department of Education has posted the report cards at their Web site.  You can select a school or district report starting with the 2000 school year at Oregon School Report Cards.

Source:  "As standards rise, Oregon school ratings show decline" by Wendy Owen, The Oregonian. October 8, 2011.

2009-2010 School Year Report Cards

Fifty-one Oregon high schools improved to an "outstanding" rating in annual report cards released in early October 2010 by the state Education Department, increasing the portion of top-rated schools to 31 percent. 

But instead of surpassing state achievement targets, many of the high schools boosted their standing through a recent change in the grading system that rewards significant  test score gains.s.

In all, 72 high schools were rated outstanding, while another 128 high schools earned the state's middling satisfactory grade and 33 were deemed in need of improvement. The annual grades are largely derived from passing rates on statewide exams for 10th-graders but also take into account measures such as graduation and the population of students taking the test. Improvements in high schools are due in part to a new statewide graduation requirement. Starting with the class of 2012, students must pass the reading test to earn a diploma

In elementary and middle schools, the ratings showed little change from last year. 

Oregon’s 2009-2010 School Report Card Ratings

• 37% of schools (426 out of 1155) were rated Outstanding (last year 34%)
• 59% of schools (684 out of 1155) were rated Satisfactory (last year 61%)
• 4% of schools (45 out of 1155) were rated In Need of Improvement (last year 5%)
• 132 schools were not rated due to their small size or being open for less than two years. 117 schools were not rated due to their small size or being open for less than two years.

Portland Schools Rated Outstanding

• Elementary:  Abernethy, Ainsworth, Alameda, Astor, Beverly Cleary, Bridleman, Buckman, Capitol Hill, Chapman, Chief Joseph, Duniway, Emerson, Forest Park, Glencoe, Hayhurst, Laurelhurst, Lewis, Llewellyn, Maplewood, Mt. Tabor, Portland Author Academy Charter School, Richmond, Rieke, Skyline, Stephenson, Sunnyside, Winterhaven, Woodstock
• Middle:  Beaumont, da Vinci, Gray, Jackson, Sellwood, West Sylvan
• K-8: Creative Science
• High School:  Franklin, Lincoln, Wilson
• K-12: Metropolitan Learning Center, Trillium

Find Out How Your School Rated

The State of Oregon Department of Education has posted the report cards at their Web site.  You can select a school or district report starting with the 2000 school year at Oregon School Report Cards.

Source:  "72 Oregon high schools rate 'outstanding' in annual state report cards; little change in lower grades"  by Nicole Dungca. The Oregonian. .October 7, 2010.