Oregon Trail Sd 46, OR - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Oregon Trail Sd 46

Oregon Trail School District 46 serves a broad swath of Clackamas County that runs from the suburban edges of the Portland metro area east into the foothills of the Cascade Range. The district covers a mix of small towns, unincorporated communities, and rural forested areas, including Sandy, Boring, Welches, Rhododendron, and parts of Estacada and Eagle Creek. Families here trade some distance from the city for a setting that is more mountain than suburb, with Mount Hood visible on clear days and the Clackamas River running through much of the territory. Housing costs across the district vary significantly by location, from more affordable pockets in Rhododendron to higher-priced areas in Boring and Corbett, but overall they sit in the middle range compared with other districts in the county.

The student population is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic minority and small numbers of students who identify as two or more races, Asian, Black, Native American, or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Data on how many students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, receive special education services, or are classified as English learners were not available from the state, so a reader may want to ask the district directly about the share of families facing economic or language barriers.

On state assessments, Oregon Trail’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile among Clackamas County’s districts, a notable strength. That aggregate figure, however, masks variation by grade level and subject. In math, proficiency in grades 3 through 5 hovers near half of students meeting the bar, then drops sharply in middle school, where fewer than two in five students score proficient in grades 6 through 8. English language arts results hold up better across the board, with most grades posting proficiency rates above half, and fifth grade reaching the highest point. Science scores are lower, with around a third of students proficient in both tested grades. Participation rates on all tests were high, so the results reflect nearly all enrolled students. The pattern suggests that the district’s elementary literacy instruction is a genuine asset, while math achievement in the upper grades is a soft spot that a parent may want to explore further with the school.

A more pressing concern is chronic absenteeism, which falls below the midpoint among county districts, meaning students are missing enough school to affect learning at a rate higher than the median district. Given the district’s rural geography and the distance some families travel, transportation or other access issues could be contributing factors, but the data do not specify causes. Per-pupil spending is in the middle range, somewhat on the lower half of the county distribution, which may influence class sizes or program offerings, though the district has recently made significant capital investments.

Voters approved a general obligation bond in 2020 that funded facility improvements across the district, including safety and security upgrades, roof replacements, HVAC systems, classroom modernization, and expansion of career technical education spaces at Sandy High School. That bond is a lasting change that has upgraded both the physical learning environment and the vocational training capacity at the high school level. Separately, the district has moved to full-day kindergarten district-wide, eliminating the half-day model that required mid-day transportation for families with young children. Both changes are directly relevant to current and prospective parents.

Oregon Trail is a district that fits families who want a rural or exurban lifestyle within commuting distance of Portland but with a local school system that performs well in reading and offers a growing CTE program at its comprehensive high school. The middle school math dip and the chronic absenteeism rate are worth investigating, and the absence of demographic poverty data means families should ask about the support structures in place for students who need them. The district’s ten schools, from Welches Elementary in the mountains to Sandy High School in the largest town, serve a spread-out community where the school itself is often the town center.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

4,316

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 17%

Black 1%

White 73%

Asian 1%

Two+ 7%

Am. Indian / AK Native 1%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

47%

51%

Gr 4

35%

58%

Gr 5

48%

67%

Gr 6

38%

62%

Gr 7

39%

63%

Gr 8

27%

52%

Math

Gr 3

47%

52%

Gr 4

38%

55%

Gr 5

31%

58%

Gr 6

15%

45%

Gr 7

26%

39%

Gr 8

15%

37%

Science

Gr 5

23%

39%

Gr 8

16%

40%

Schools in this District

10 schools are officially reported under this district.

Welches Elementary School

Naas Elementary School

Boring Middle School

Sandy Grade School

Firwood Elementary School

Cedar Ridge Middle School

Sandy High School

Kelso Elementary School

Welches Middle School

Oregon Trail Academy

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

51%

Grade 3

51%

Grade 4

51%

Grade 5

38%

Grade 6

37%

Grade 7

31%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

49%

Grade 3

53%

Grade 4

62%

Grade 5

56%

Grade 6

58%

Grade 7

46%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

35%

Grade 5

34%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$517,164

Year-over-year change-0.1%

Range across 10 ZIP codes$426K to $720K

vs. state typical1.03x

vs. national typical1.40x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (10 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
97049	Rhododendron	$426K	+0.1%	42.5%
97055	Sandy	$521K	-0.2%	24.2%
97028	Welches	$702K	+0.9%	10.4%
97067	Welches	$455K	-1.6%	6.3%
97019	Corbett	$649K	-0.5%	6.2%
97009	Boring	$720K	-0.1%	5.9%
97023	Estacada	$548K	-2.1%	2.0%
97022	Eagle Creek	$665K	+0.2%	1.3%
97011	Brightwood	$514K	-2.8%	1.3%
97089	Damascus	$676K	-0.9%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,253/mo

Year-over-year change+4.3%

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
97055	Sandy	$2,253	+4.3%	24.2%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,610/mo

Home price / national median income6.2x

Annual rent / national median income32.3%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$357/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$501,661 (-0.7% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.