The top reported proficiency rate is 32% in English language arts. The lowest is 15% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Ferndale Elementary School
Ferndale Elementary School serves fourth and fifth graders in Milton-Freewater, a small rural town in the Walla Walla Valley near the Oregon-Washington line. It is a regular public school and part of the Milton-Freewater Unified School District 7. Because it covers only two grade levels, there is no graduation rate to report and no high school outcomes to consider; this is a purely elementary environment for the final two years before middle school.
The school enrolls a modest number of students, with a sizable majority qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of the community’s economic profile. The student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino, with a substantial white population and small numbers of other racial and ethnic groups. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source materials, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports and how they are staffed.
State assessment results from the most recent testing year show that in both fourth and fifth grade, the share of students meeting proficiency in English language arts and math was below what many families would hope for. Science proficiency, tested only in fifth grade, was lower still. The overall proficiency index across tested subjects placed Ferndale among the lower-performing schools in Umatilla County when compared with other districts. These results are a factual starting point; a parent considering the school should look into what instructional strategies, interventions, or programs are in place to raise achievement and whether the school’s approach matches their child’s needs.
Milton-Freewater itself has a distinct character. It sits amid orchards, wheat fields, and vineyards, with an economy that has shifted from its mid-20th-century identity as a pea-processing center toward a growing wine industry. The population is notably young, and a large share of residents are Hispanic or Latino, reflecting generations of agricultural labor that turned into permanent settlement. The town is compact and known for its quirky public art—more than fifty chainsaw-carved frogs are displayed at local businesses—and an annual Muddy Frogwater Country Classic festival. The city has been working to revitalize its historic downtown through the Oregon Main Street Program. Housing values in the area are lower than the state median, and rents are modest relative to incomes, which may be relevant for families looking to buy or rent.
The district brief turned up no recently reported major changes, so the school’s programming and operations appear stable without a recent overhaul or controversy. No information was available about course access, staffing ratios, or chronic absenteeism; those are gaps a parent would want to fill by visiting or speaking with the principal.
Ferndale Elementary is a small, two-grade school in a tight-knit rural community with a strong agricultural and Latino heritage. The academic numbers are a soft spot, and the school does not offer the breadth of programs that larger elementary schools might. For a family that values a close community setting where they can be directly involved, and who are prepared to be proactive about academic support, Ferndale may be a reasonable option. A family seeking a school with stronger test performance or a wider array of enrichment would want to weigh this against other choices in the district or region.
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