The top reported proficiency rate is 26% in English language arts. The lowest is 11% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Warm Springs K-8 Academy
Warm Springs K-8 Academy is a regular public school serving kindergarten through eighth grade in the unincorporated community of Warm Springs, Oregon, the primary population center of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. The school is part of the Jefferson County School District and sits in a rural, low-density setting along U.S. Route 26, surrounded by the Shitike Creek valley and the Deschutes River. The community functions as the administrative seat of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, and the local economy is built around tribal government operations, timber, hydroelectric power, and gaming at Indian Head Casino. The population has been declining in recent years, and the Kah-Nee-Ta Hot Springs Resort, a former anchor, closed. This context shapes the school directly: the vast majority of students are Native American, and a very high share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
Academically, the school’s state assessment results are low across nearly every grade and subject. In third grade, math proficiency was moderate, and English language arts was somewhat higher than in later grades, but by fourth grade and beyond the numbers drop sharply. For several grades, including fifth, sixth, and eighth in both math and English, the proportion of students scoring proficient was so small that the data is reported only as a narrow range near zero. In the grades where exact figures are available, seventh-grade math proficiency was very low, fourth-grade math was low, and English language arts in seventh and eighth grades also landed at low levels. Science proficiency in eighth grade was similarly low. Looking across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index falls in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Jefferson County. Only one year of data was available for trend analysis, so it is not possible to say whether these results are improving or declining.
Because the school ends at eighth grade, there is no high school graduation rate to report. Information on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing ratios, and course access was not available in the data provided. A parent may want to ask the school directly about student support services, special education programs, and English learner resources, as those figures were also missing.
The student body is overwhelmingly Native American, with a small Hispanic minority and even smaller shares of White and multiracial students. The school is not a charter or magnet. Enrollment runs through the full K-8 grade span, with roughly similar class sizes across grades.
The Jefferson County School District, which operates Warm Springs K-8 Academy, has undertaken several initiatives in recent years. Voters approved a general obligation bond to modernize Madras High School, about fourteen miles away, and to fund safety and security upgrades across all district facilities. The district also adopted a new K-5 English language arts curriculum focused on evidence-based reading instruction, implemented in all elementary schools. Additionally, a dual language immersion program was expanded at Madras Elementary School, though that program is not located at Warm Springs K-8 Academy. These district-wide changes may eventually affect the academic program and resources available at this school, but the data does not indicate any direct connection to current classroom outcomes.
For a family considering this school, the most telling facts are the very low proficiency rates, especially in the upper elementary and middle school grades, and the concentrated poverty and homogeneous student population. The school serves a close-knit tribal community, and the setting is rural and reservation-based, which may be a defining characteristic for families who live there. There is no public data on extracurricular programs or advanced course offerings, and no information about whether the school provides any career or dual-credit pathways, given that it ends at eighth grade. Parents seeking more detail on academic supports, curriculum, and school climate would need to reach out to the school directly, as the available data paints only a partial picture.
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