The top reported proficiency rate is 18% in English language arts. The lowest is 14% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Jackson Elementary School
Jackson Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Medford, a city that functions as the commercial, healthcare, and government hub of the Rogue Valley. The school is part of Medford School District 549C, which voters backed with a bond in 2022 focused on safety upgrades, classroom additions, and technology, structured to keep the property tax rate steady. The district has also moved to a stricter cell phone policy for older students, though that applies to middle and high school levels, not Jackson’s elementary grades.
Medford itself is the county seat of Jackson County and anchors a metropolitan area. Its economy centers on healthcare (two major medical centers), agriculture (Harry & David, the Oregon wine industry), and corporate headquarters including Lithia Motors. The city has a traditional downtown along Bear Creek, with the Bear Creek Greenway providing a multi-use trail that connects to surrounding communities. Development is a mix of historic core and suburban-style retail corridors along Interstates and highways. Winter temperature inversions can produce heavy fog and reduce air quality for periods. Housing values and rents in the zip code surrounding the school sit at levels that reflect the broader region; a mortgage on a typical home would require a substantial share of median income, and renting is comparatively less expensive than owning.
Jackson Elementary enrolls a student body where a majority of students are Hispanic, just over a third are White, and small shares are Black, two or more races, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a community with considerable economic need. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the information provided; a parent may want to ask the school directly about these supports.
State testing results from the 2024-2025 school year, the only year of data available, show that across tested subjects and grades, overall proficiency rates are low compared to other districts in Jackson County, placing the school in the bottom quartile among the county’s eleven districts. In English language arts, proficiency rates by grade range from roughly a tenth to a quarter of students meeting the bar. In math, the pattern is similar, with rates declining from third to fifth grade, ending at a level that is very modest. Science results for fifth graders are also low. Because this is only a single snapshot, there is no trend data to show whether performance is improving or declining; the assessment was reported without a flag for changes in tests or cut scores, so direct comparisons to prior years are not possible. A parent considering this school may want to understand what academic interventions and supports are in place, and how the school’s approach to instruction and intervention addresses these outcomes.
No course access, staffing, or discipline data were provided, so those aspects of the school environment cannot be characterized. The school is a regular public elementary, not a charter or magnet, and its Title I status was not listed.
The school’s setting in Medford offers some civic assets: Bear Creek Park, the library, and the Greenway are nearby. The district has invested in facility upgrades through the recent bond. But the academic picture at Jackson Elementary is one that warrants close attention. Families looking at this school will want to explore what specific programs, class sizes, and teacher support structures exist, and how the school is working to raise student achievement across all subjects. The combination of high economic need and low test scores suggests that the school faces significant challenges, and a parent should investigate what resources are directed toward meeting them.
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