The top reported proficiency rate is 73% in Math. The lowest is 60% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Highland School at Kenwood Elementary School
Highland School at Kenwood Elementary School is a kindergarten-through-fifth-grade public school in Bend, Oregon, part of the Bend-La Pine Schools district. The school sits in a city that has transformed from a logging town into a fast-growing hub for outdoor recreation and tourism, with a downtown along the Deschutes River, an extinct volcano within city limits, and a strong draw from the Mount Bachelor ski resort. The district itself recently opened a new high school and passed a major construction bond, signaling that Bend’s population growth is shaping school planning.
The student body is relatively small for an elementary school, with enrollment spread fairly evenly across grades kindergarten through fifth grade. The demographic picture is one of very limited racial and economic diversity. A substantial majority of students are white, and the share of students from other racial backgrounds is very small. The proportion of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is low, well below both state and national averages. Parents whose priority is a school where the student population reflects the broader community may want to ask about what outreach and inclusion efforts the school has in place, as the composition here is notably homogenous.
On academic performance, Highland School at Kenwood stands out clearly. Based on the most recent state assessments, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it in the top quarter among districts in Deschutes County. The proficiency index is well above the median for the county, and the gap between this school and the next closest district-level performance is substantial. For a parent reading those numbers in the context of floor and ceiling, this is one of the higher-performing elementary schools in the region.
Subject-level results are strong. In mathematics, the share of students meeting proficiency climbs across grades, with particularly high results at the fifth-grade level. English language arts shows a similar pattern, with fifth graders reaching a very high proficiency rate. Science, which is tested only in fifth grade, shows a solid but lower proficiency rate compared to math and reading. The pattern of stronger performance in the upper elementary grades suggests consistent instruction over time, though only a single year of data is available, so trends cannot yet be assessed.
No data is reported for chronic absenteeism, special education identification, or English learner services. A parent interested in how the school supports students with disabilities or multilingual learners should contact the school directly for that information. Similarly, discipline records and staffing details are not available in the public data reviewed here. The school also does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate or college-readiness data to consider.
The surrounding housing market reflects Bend’s rapid growth. Home values are well above national medians, and rents have been rising. The affordability picture is tight: estimated monthly mortgage costs are high relative to typical household income, and renting is not markedly cheaper. Families moving into the area for this school should budget accordingly.
The broader district context matters. Bend-La Pine Schools voters approved a substantial bond for new construction, facility upgrades, and safety improvements, which means that Highland School at Kenwood may see changes in its physical plant and capacity as the district grows. The opening of a new high school has altered attendance boundaries, but as an elementary school, Highland’s feeder pattern may adjust over time.
For a family weighing options in Bend, Highland School at Kenwood offers a notably strong academic record in a small, economically advantaged setting. The school’s peer environment is one of very limited diversity. The city’s rapid growth brings both opportunity and pressure on housing and school capacity. A parent looking for a school with consistently high test results in a community that has invested heavily in its schools will find a strong fit here. Those seeking a more socioeconomically or racially diverse student body may want to explore further. The missing data on student support services is a gap worth filling with a direct conversation at the school.
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