The top reported proficiency rate is 40% in English language arts. The lowest is 26% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Cascades School
Cascades School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Lebanon, Oregon, as part of Lebanon Community School District 9. It is a regular public elementary school, neither a charter nor a magnet. The school sits on 7th Street in Lebanon, a city on the eastern edge of the Willamette Valley that has historically tied its economy to timber and agriculture, particularly strawberries. In recent years, Lebanon has seen growth driven by the arrival of a medical school, a veterans’ home, and a community college healthcare center, along with a Lowe’s distribution center that is now the largest employer. The town retains a small-town feel, with a traditional downtown along Main Street that has seen renovated storefronts, new brewpubs, and bakeries opening. A network of walking and biking trails is being developed, and the annual Strawberry Festival draws residents in early June.
The enrollment at Cascades is on the smaller side for its grade band. The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population making up the next largest share, followed by smaller numbers of students who identify as two or more races, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which sits well above the national average and signals that many families in the attendance zone have lower household incomes.
On state assessments from the 2024-2025 school year, reading proficiency rates across the tested grades were around the midpoint or softer, depending on grade level. Math proficiency rates began moderately in third grade and fourth grade but dropped sharply in fifth grade. Science proficiency at fifth grade was lower still. These results place the school’s overall proficiency index in the top quartile among elementary schools in Linn County, meaning it performed higher than most of its county peers on the tests it administered. However, because the comparison set includes only those schools that reported data, and because the absolute rates at Cascades show clear soft spots, a parent may want to discuss the school’s approach to supporting students who are not yet meeting benchmarks, especially in math and science in the upper elementary years.
The Lebanon district did not appear to have any recent large-scale changes or initiatives publicly reported that would directly reshape a family’s experience at Cascades. No information on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, or staffing ratios was available for the school, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about student support structures and classroom conditions. The school does not serve the grades that produce a graduation rate, so that metric does not apply.
Housing in the zip code area is priced around the national typical range, with rents rising moderately year over year. The estimated monthly mortgage payment on a typical home is higher than the typical rent, which is common nationally. The local unemployment rate is near the national average.
For a family considering this school, the picture is one of a small elementary in a growing small city where the economy is shifting from its timber and agriculture roots toward healthcare, education, and distribution. The school serves a population with many students from lower-income households. Academically, proficiency rates on state tests are mixed, weaker in the upper grades and in math and science, but the school’s performance relative to other Linn County elementary schools is toward the upper end. Given the thinness of data on student support programs and classroom context, a parent would benefit from a direct conversation with the school about how it addresses these academic soft spots and what interventions are in place before students move on to middle school.
See more original research from School Decision →