The top reported proficiency rate is 48% in English language arts. The lowest is 28% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Buff Elementary School
Buff Elementary School serves students from kindergarten through fifth grade in Madras, Oregon, the county seat of Jefferson County located in the high desert of Central Oregon. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and its enrollment is small for an elementary school serving those grades. The student body is diverse, with a substantial share identifying as Hispanic and a sizable White population, along with smaller groups of American Indian or Alaska Native students and students of two or more races. A very large share of students come from low-income households, as measured by eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch, a factor that often shapes the resources and support a school can draw on. The school does not have publicly reported counts of students with disabilities or English learners, so a parent may want to ask the district directly about those populations.
Academically, the most recent state assessment results give a mixed picture. In English language arts, the school showed a strength: across grades three through five, roughly half of students met proficiency standards. Third graders performed notably higher than the upper grades in reading, while fourth and fifth graders were closer to the school average. In math, proficiency rates were lower across all three tested grades, with about one-third of students reaching the bar. Science, tested only in fifth grade, also showed a low proficiency rate. Because only one year of assessment data is available, it is not possible to see whether these results represent a change over time. Compared with other districts in Jefferson County, the school’s overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades placed it in the top quarter of that group. That comparison is based on a small number of districts with reported data, but it suggests that Buff Elementary performs relatively well within its local context.
The school sits in the town of Madras, a small city that functions as a commercial hub for the surrounding agricultural area, known for seed crops, mint, and potatoes, and also draws tourism from nearby recreation on the Deschutes River and Lake Billy Chinook. The town has a modest downtown core along Main Street, and the school is integrated into the residential grid rather than isolated on a separate campus. Walkability outside the downtown area is limited, and street life is concentrated around civic buildings and downtown businesses. Housing values in the area are near the national median and below the Oregon state median, making it comparatively affordable within the state, though mortgage costs relative to income are high nationally.
The district, Jefferson County SD 509J, has made recent changes that affect elementary education. In the 2024–2025 school year, the district implemented a new K–5 English language arts curriculum focused on evidence-based reading instruction aligned with Oregon’s Early Literacy Framework. That curriculum shift is directly relevant to Buff Elementary’s reading instruction and may influence future proficiency trends. Separately, the district expanded a dual language immersion program at Madras Elementary School (a different school in the district) through grade three, with plans to add one grade per year. That pathway is not available at Buff Elementary, but it exists as an option within the district for families who want a bilingual track. Additionally, voters approved a bond in 2021 to modernize Madras High School and fund district-wide safety and security upgrades; construction is targeted for completion in fall 2025.
The school did not report data on discipline, staffing ratios, attendance, or course access—areas a parent might wish to explore further with the school. Given that Buff Elementary is a K–5 school, there is no graduation rate to report. The overall picture is of a small, high-poverty elementary school that shows a relative strength in early literacy and holds a strong position compared with other schools in the county, while facing challenges in math and science attainment that a family might want to understand better by visiting or speaking with the principal about instructional approaches.
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