The top reported proficiency rate is 31% in English language arts. The lowest is 14% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Madrona Elementary School
Madrona Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Grants Pass, Oregon, and is part of the Three Rivers/Josephine County School District. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet. The school sits in a residential area of a city that functions as the county seat and commercial hub of Josephine County, set along the Rogue River and Interstate 5. Grants Pass has a modestly growing population, a historic downtown, and a population that skews older, with a noticeable retiree presence alongside working families. The area is largely auto-oriented outside the downtown core, and housing values here are below the statewide benchmark, which may factor into family decisions about the neighborhood.
The student body at Madrona is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population representing the largest minority group. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that many families face economic challenges. Enrollment is moderate for an elementary school of this grade band. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those programs and supports.
State assessment results from the most recent testing year provide the main measure of academic performance. Across all tested subjects and grade levels, proficiency rates are below what many families would hope to see. In math, the share of students meeting the state standard declines from third to fifth grade, landing at a low point by the upper elementary years. In English language arts, about three in ten students are proficient in each grade, with a similar pattern. Science, tested only in fifth grade, shows an even smaller proportion reaching the proficiency bar. When compared with other districts in Josephine County, Madrona’s overall proficiency index places in the bottom quartile — though the county has only two school districts, so this comparison reflects the lower end of a small set. Because this is the only year of testing data available, there is no trend line to show whether performance is improving or declining.
The school’s setting in Grants Pass means families have access to the city’s parks, including riverfront spaces and a trail system, as well as the historic downtown. The district did not provide a brief on recent changes, so any broader shifts in funding, leadership, or programming at the district level are not known from this data. The school itself offers no publicly reported information on course access, staffing ratios, disciplinary incidents, or attendance patterns, which are gaps a parent may wish to explore directly with the school or district.
Madrona Elementary reflects the characteristics of a neighborhood school in a mid-sized southern Oregon city with a significant share of students from lower-income households. Academic proficiency on state tests is low, and families considering the school should expect to engage closely with teachers and look into whatever academic support structures are available. The absence of data on student support services, staffing, and school climate means that a firsthand visit or conversation with the principal would be especially valuable to understand what the school offers beyond the numbers. For a family weighing this school, the surrounding community’s affordability and slower pace of life are clear attributes, while the academic results point to a setting where extra attention to core skills may be needed.
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