The top reported proficiency rate is 23% in English language arts. The lowest is 18% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Patrick Lynch Elementary
Patrick Lynch Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Portland’s Centennial School District. The school sits in a residential section of the city’s east side, a part of Portland that is less dense than the downtown core but still very much urban, with commercial corridors, single-family homes, and apartment buildings nearby. For a parent trying to understand this school, the most important fact is its state assessment data, which provides a starting point for a conversation with the school.
On the 2024-2025 Oregon Statewide Assessment System, Patrick Lynch’s students posted proficiency rates that fall noticeably below state averages. In math, across grades three through five, the share of students meeting the bar ranged from roughly one in ten to just under three in ten. In English language arts, the pattern was similar, with roughly one in five to one in four students proficient depending on the grade. Fifth-grade science results were in the same range. Looking across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quarter of elementary schools when compared against other schools in Multnomah County. These are the most recent available results, and they represent a single snapshot; the school does not have prior-year data for trend comparison, so it is not possible to say from this one year whether performance is improving or declining. A parent considering this school will want to discuss with the principal or teachers how these scores align with the instruction students receive and what supports are in place.
Enrollment is in the mid-hundreds spread across kindergarten through fifth grade. The student body is notably diverse: a substantial share of students are Hispanic, a sizable share are White, and there are smaller but meaningful populations of Asian, Black, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and multiracial students. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, which is a marker of the economic profile of the neighborhood. The school is a regular public school and is not a charter, magnet, or Title I school, though the Title I status was not reported. Data on special education and English learner populations were not available.
Portland is Oregon’s largest city, a major Pacific Northwest metro center with a technology, healthcare, and outdoor-brand economy. Housing costs have risen noticeably with gentrification pressure, and the city has seen a slight population decline since 2020. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate hovered around the mid-six percent range at the time of this snapshot, and the national unemployment rate was around four percent. Local median home values in the school’s ZIP area are below the state benchmark, but still substantial; rent is a bit below the estimated monthly mortgage cost, making renting a more attainable option for many families right now. The neighborhood around Patrick Lynch, in the Centennial district, is part of the broader east Portland area, which has a stronger suburban feel than the west side and a more affordable housing stock relative to the city’s pricier neighborhoods.
The district brief turned up no recent major changes at the Centennial district level, so a parent should check the district website for any current initiatives or boundary updates. The school site itself, if searched, would have details on special programs and after-school offerings that are not captured in this data.
For a family looking at this school, the honest picture is that state test scores are low relative to the county and the state. The school serves a student population with high economic need, which often correlates with resource demands that affect academic outcomes. A parent who enrolls here should expect to be an active partner with the teacher and should ask about small-group support, intervention programs, and how the school is working to move proficiency numbers upward. The school’s diversity and its position in a relatively affordable corner of Portland may be draws, but the academic data warrants a direct conversation with the school before deciding.
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