The top reported proficiency rate is 48% in English language arts. The lowest is 18% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Sandstone Middle School
Sandstone Middle School, a regular public school in the Hermiston School District, serves students in sixth through eighth grade. The school enrolls a sizable student body, and a substantial share of its students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
The school’s student body reflects the demographics of Hermiston itself, a city shaped by its agricultural roots and a rapidly growing population. A large majority of students are Hispanic, and white students make up most of the remainder. The city has grown significantly in recent years, driven by an increase in Latino residents and by investment in logistics and data-center infrastructure at the I-82 and I-84 interchange. Major local employers include Amazon Web Services, the healthcare system, a Walmart distribution center, and the school district itself. Families considering the school enter an area where median household income has been reported at a level somewhat above the national figure, though local housing costs are below the state average. The district recently opened a new elementary school in the northeast part of town, a response to the city’s growth.
On state assessments, about half of Sandstone students met the proficiency bar in English language arts across all three grades. Results were fairly consistent from sixth to eighth grade, with each grade reporting a very similar proficiency rate. In math, the share of students meeting the standard was lower, and the rate fell as grade level rose, with the eighth-grade cohort showing a notably lower level of proficiency than the sixth grade. In eighth-grade science, the proportion of students reaching proficiency was lower still, well below the rate in English language arts. Compared with other districts across Umatilla County, Sandstone Middle School’s overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades sits below the midpoint for the county.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to review. Data on chronic absenteeism was not available for this school. Information on discipline rates, course access, and staffing was also not reported, so a parent may want to follow up with the school directly on these operational details.
Hermiston is a mixed-use city that has evolved from a farm town into a regional logistics hub. Its downtown retains a traditional grid with city hall on NE 2nd Street, and Riverfront Park and Hermiston Butte provide recreational space. The city’s growth is tied to its position at the junction of two interstates and its role as a data-center and food-processing center. For a family moving to the area, the school sits in a district that has made recent capital investments to accommodate enrollment growth, and the housing market, while more affordable than much of Oregon, has climbed in value over the past year.
Sandstone Middle School offers a picture of a school whose English language arts results are respectable for the middle grades, while math and science achievement are areas where the school is working from a lower baseline. The school is of a typical size for a middle school in a growing small city, and its peer environment is one in which many students qualify for economic support. The city’s growth and the district’s recent facility investment suggest a community that is expanding and investing, even as academic outcomes in some subjects lag behind county peers. A parent considering this school may want to explore how the school supports students in math and science, and what programs or interventions are in place to address the declining proficiency trend across grades in math.
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