The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in English language arts. The lowest is 62% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Hoover Elementary School
Hoover Elementary School is a regular public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Medford, Oregon, part of the Medford SD 549C district. The school sits on Siskiyou Boulevard, within a city that serves as the commercial, medical, and government hub for the Rogue Valley and parts of northern California. Medford’s economy is driven by healthcare, agriculture, and corporate headquarters, and its built environment mixes a traditional downtown core with extensive suburban retail and residential development along the I-5 corridor.
Academically, Hoover’s students performed well on Oregon’s state assessments in the most recent testing year. In English language arts, proficiency rates were solid across grades three through five, and in mathematics the school also posted strong results, though with some variation by grade. Science results for fifth graders were similarly strong. Taken together, the school’s overall proficiency across subjects and grades placed it in the top quartile relative to other districts in Jackson County. Because only one year of data was available, there is no trend to report, but the single-year picture is one of consistent academic strength.
Hoover serves a student body that is predominantly white, with Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial students each making up smaller shares. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a high level of economic need in the surrounding neighborhood. Data on the share of students with individualized education programs or English learner status was not reported, so a parent looking into special education or language support services would need to check with the school directly. Like all elementary schools in the district, Hoover does not have a graduation rate to report, nor does the available data include information on discipline, chronic absenteeism, staffing, or course access.
The Medford district itself recently made two notable changes. Voters approved a bond in 2022 that funded safety and security upgrades, classroom additions, and technology improvements across the district, with the district structuring the bond so that expiring levy debt kept the property tax rate stable. Separately, the district implemented a stricter cell phone policy for middle and high school students, requiring phones to be kept in backpacks or lockers during the school day—a change that does not directly affect Hoover’s elementary grades but signals a broader district focus on reducing distractions.
For a family considering Hoover Elementary, the academic picture is the strongest draw: the school’s test results are among the highest in the county, and it operates as a neighborhood school in a city that offers a full range of regional services, from healthcare to an airport with frequent daily flights. The school’s size—large enough to have multiple sections per grade—means a typical elementary experience with grade-level peers, but the high share of students from low-income households may mean that resources for enrichment or intervention are stretched. The lack of data on special education and English learner populations is a gap a parent would want to fill by speaking with the school office. Medford’s character as an auto-oriented, suburban city with a walkable downtown core means that most families drive to school, though the Bear Creek Greenway is a major recreational trail nearby. Hoover Elementary appears to be a academically solid, neighborhood-anchored school in a regional center, one where a parent would choose primarily for its demonstrated student achievement.
See more original research from School Decision →