The top reported proficiency rate is 43% in English language arts. The lowest is 29% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Mckay Elementary School
McKay Elementary School is a regular public school in Beaverton, Oregon, serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It sits within the Beaverton School District, a large district covering a broad area of Washington County. The school itself is located on Scholls Ferry Road in a residential part of Beaverton. McKay is not a charter or magnet school, and it operates as a traditional neighborhood elementary school.
Academically, McKay’s state assessment results from the most recent school year show a mixed picture. Proficiency rates in English language arts and math vary by grade, with third grade performing the strongest and fourth grade the weakest in both subjects. On the state’s science assessment, which is only given in fifth grade, the share of students meeting proficiency is lower still. Only a single year of testing data was available, so no trend can be established. When compared to other schools across Washington County, McKay’s average proficiency across all tested subjects and grades lands above the midpoint of the county’s districts. That is a relative bright spot, but the absolute percentages are modest. A parent looking at these numbers will see that the majority of students are not yet meeting the state’s proficiency bar in any subject, which is a soft spot worth discussing with the school to understand what supports are in place.
The student body is relatively small for an elementary school. Demographically, it is roughly half white, with a substantial share of Hispanic students, and smaller representations of Asian, Black, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and multiracial students. A very large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high-needs population. This economic context matters when interpreting the proficiency results; schools serving many low-income families often face additional challenges. Data on special education identification and English learner status was not available, so a parent would want to ask the school directly about those programs.
The school is part of the Beaverton School District, which has a history of steady enrollment growth and recent facility expansion. The district opened a new middle school in 2021, which redrew feeder patterns for some families. That kind of change can affect which middle school McKay students eventually attend, so families should check the current attendance boundaries.
Beaverton itself is a mid-sized city in the Portland metropolitan area, known for its concentration of technology companies and as the headquarters of Nike. The city has invested in transit-oriented development around its light rail stations, and the downtown area offers a farmer’s market, a food cart pod, a performing arts center, and a city library. Much of the city is suburban in character, with car-dependent commercial corridors, but walkable street life exists near the downtown and transit hubs. Housing in the zip code around the school is relatively expensive, with home values and rents that are high by national standards. For many families, buying a home in this area is a major financial commitment, and renting is also costly. The local economy is anchored by large employers like Nike, the school district, and tech firms, and the unemployment rate has been low by national measures.
What kind of student might fit well at McKay? It is a small neighborhood school serving a diverse, economically diverse student body. The academic results suggest that a child who is already performing at or above grade level will be in a minority; the school’s average is below the state proficiency threshold in most subjects. That does not mean the school is failing—it may reflect the challenges of serving a high-poverty population. A family considering McKay should be prepared to be actively engaged with teachers to understand how their child is progressing and what additional supports are available. For families who value a small, community-oriented setting in a city with strong transit links and a range of cultural amenities, McKay could be a reasonable fit. But the test scores are a clear signal that the school is still working to raise achievement for the majority of its students, and that is something a parent will want to explore further.
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