The top reported proficiency rate is 27% in English language arts. The lowest is 15% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Hollydale Elementary School
Hollydale Elementary School serves students from kindergarten through fifth grade and is part of the Gresham-Barlow School District, one of three districts that serve the city of Gresham. Gresham itself has a historic downtown and a branch library near its core, but its schools are spread across separate campuses rather than clustered together. Mount Hood Community College is also located in the city, though on its own separated campus.
The school enrolls a student body that is diverse in its racial and ethnic makeup. White students form the largest group, followed by a substantial Hispanic population, and smaller shares of students who are two or more races, Black, Asian, or American Indian or Alaska Native. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a community with significant economic need. No data on the share of students with disabilities or English learner status was available; families who want that picture may wish to ask the school directly.
Academically, Hollydale Elementary sits in the bottom quartile for overall proficiency when compared with other elementary schools within Multnomah County districts. The state assessment results show a pattern that varies by grade and subject. In math, proficiency rates across third, fourth, and fifth grades are all low. In English language arts, third and fourth grade proficiency rates are also low, but fifth grade students post a notably higher proficiency rate, reaching just above half of students meeting the standard. Science results for fifth grade, the only grade tested in that subject, are low. The overall picture is one of significant challenge in math and a bright spot in fifth grade reading. Parents may want to ask the school about the specific instructional supports in place for math and how the fifth grade literacy approach might be informing earlier grades.
Because Hollydale is an elementary school, there is no graduation rate to report. No data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing was available in the source information, and the district brief turned up no recent major changes that would affect families’ day-to-day experience.
The housing context for families living in the area around the school shows home values that are above the national median by a meaningful margin, while rents are also above the national midpoint for rent. Monthly mortgage costs outpace rent, so renting may be the more affordable option for many households. The broader economic backdrop includes a national unemployment rate that has been stable, and rental costs that have been rising gradually.
Hollydale Elementary is a regular public school operating as a standard neighborhood elementary in a community with high economic need. The academic results, particularly in math and early literacy, are an area where a parent would want to have a direct conversation with the school about intervention and enrichment strategies. The relative strength in fifth grade English language arts suggests that the school may have some effective practices in place for older elementary students. For a parent weighing this school, the peer environment reflects the diversity of the surrounding Gresham neighborhoods, and the school’s size is typical for an elementary building in the area.
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