The top reported proficiency rate is 53% in English language arts. The lowest is 36% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Silver Rail Elementary School
Silver Rail Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Bend, Oregon, as part of the Bend-La Pine Schools district. The school sits in a rapidly growing city that has transformed from a logging town into a hub for outdoor recreation and tourism, with the Deschutes River running through town and Mount Bachelor drawing visitors year-round. Bend’s population has been growing quickly, and the district has responded with significant investment: voters approved a construction bond for new schools, facility upgrades, and safety improvements, and the district opened its newest high school to relieve overcrowding on the east side. That growth context matters for families looking at Silver Rail, as the area’s popularity has driven up housing costs. Home values in the school’s zip code are well above national benchmarks, and rents have been rising, reflecting the desirability of Bend as a place to live.
Silver Rail is a regular public elementary school, not a charter or magnet. The student body is predominantly white, with a modest share of Hispanic students and small numbers of Asian, Black, and multiracial students. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school in a middle-income range for the area. Enrollment across the six grade levels is relatively balanced, with each grade holding a similar number of students. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so families with children who receive special education or language support services would want to ask the school directly about available programs and staffing.
On state assessments, Silver Rail’s results present a mixed picture. In English language arts, roughly half of students met proficiency standards across grades three through five, with fourth grade showing the strongest performance. Math proficiency was lower, particularly in fourth and fifth grades, where scores dropped noticeably from the third-grade level. Science results, tested only in fifth grade, were the weakest area, with a modest share of students meeting the bar. When compared across districts in Deschutes County, the school’s overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile, meaning it performs better than most schools in the county. Still, the drop in math scores between third and fourth grade, and the low science scores, are worth a closer look; a parent may want to ask the school how it supports students as math content becomes more complex and how science instruction is structured in the upper elementary grades.
Because Silver Rail only serves kindergarten through fifth grade, there is no graduation rate to report, and no data on chronic absenteeism was available. The school does not appear to have Title I status, though the qualification rate for free or reduced-price lunch would typically make it eligible; a parent may wish to confirm whether the school receives federal support for low-income students.
The district’s recent bond investment means new facilities and capacity expansions are underway across Bend-La Pine Schools. For a family moving to Bend, Silver Rail offers a regular neighborhood elementary option in a growing, amenity-rich city with strong outdoor appeal. The academic picture is solid in English language arts, though math and science are areas where the school could improve. The housing market in this part of Bend is expensive, and the area’s rapid growth means the school and district are under pressure to keep pace with enrollment. Families choosing Silver Rail will want to understand how the school addresses the dip in math performance in the upper grades and what science curriculum is in place. The school’s county-level standing is good, but the within-school variation by subject and grade suggests that a family’s experience may depend significantly on which teachers and which grade levels their child encounters.
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