The top reported proficiency rate is 31% in English language arts. The lowest is 15% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Danebo Elementary School
Danebo Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Eugene, Oregon, as part of the Bethel School District 52. The city, Oregon’s second-largest and home to the University of Oregon, is known for its outdoor recreation, arts scene, and walkable downtown. Danebo sits within a residential area of Eugene, and the school draws its students from the Bethel portion of the city, a separate district from the larger Eugene School District 4J. The school is a regular public school; it is not a charter or magnet.
The school is relatively small for its grade band, with an enrollment that is spread fairly evenly across kindergarten through fifth grade. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating that many families face economic challenges. The student body is predominantly white, with a sizable Hispanic population and a moderate share of students identifying as two or more races. Enrollment of Asian, Black, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students is very small. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.
State testing results from the 2024–2025 school year show that overall proficiency across math, English language arts, and science is low. The school sits in the bottom quarter when compared to other districts in Lane County—a comparison that reflects Danebo’s overall performance relative to the county’s district-level averages. In math, the share of students meeting proficiency benchmarks is below one in five across grades three, four, and five, with fourth grade being particularly low. English language arts results are somewhat higher, with the fifth-grade rate approaching half of students, but third- and fourth-grade rates remain well below that mark. Science, tested only in fifth grade, shows a small share of students reaching proficiency. The testing data covers only a single year, so there is no trend to evaluate.
Because Danebo is an elementary school, it has no graduation rate and no chronic absenteeism data in the available records. The school’s website and directory details were not supplemented with program offerings, discipline data, or staffing information, which limits the picture of what happens beyond the core academics. The parent district has recently made some changes that may affect Danebo. In 2022, Bethel School District adopted new K–5 literacy and math curricula—using the American Reading Company framework for reading and i-Ready Classroom Mathematics for math—and adopted a new 6–12 English language arts curriculum in 2023. Voters passed a capital bond in November 2024 to fund health, safety, and educational improvements across the district, including school security upgrades, HVAC and roof replacement, and classroom upgrades, with no estimated tax rate increase. Earlier, in 2020, a local option levy renewal for operations failed narrowly, leading to budget reductions that affected programs and staffing in subsequent years.
For a family considering Danebo, the academic proficiency numbers are a clear soft spot and warrant a close conversation with the school about what supports are in place for students who are not yet meeting benchmarks. The high rate of economic disadvantage suggests that some students may benefit from the school’s Title I services, though the school’s Title I status was not reported. The district’s recent curriculum adoptions and capital improvements may signal an investment in the classroom environment over time. However, without data on special education, English learner services, or attendance patterns, a parent will need to seek those details directly to get a fuller sense of the school’s day-to-day operation and support structure.
See more original research from School Decision →