The top reported proficiency rate is 60% in English language arts. The lowest is 19% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Mt Angel Middle School
Mt Angel Middle School serves sixth through eighth grade in a small, compact town with deep German and Bavarian roots. The town sits in Marion County, about a short drive northeast of Salem, and its economy blends agriculture and industry. The school is part of the Mt Angel School District 91, which also operates an elementary school and a high school. No recent district-level changes or strategic priorities were found in publicly reported materials, so a parent may want to ask the district directly about any current initiatives.
The student body is small for a middle school. Roughly half the students are Hispanic and half are White, with small numbers of other racial groups represented. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on the share of students receiving special education services or English learner support was not reported, so a family whose child would need those services may want to follow up with the school.
On state assessments, the school shows a notable split between English language arts and math. In sixth and seventh grade, proficiency in English language arts is at a level many families would consider solid, while eighth-grade English language arts proficiency is lower. In math, proficiency is below the midpoint across all three grades, with the eighth-grade result particularly soft. Science results for eighth grade are weaker still. Compared with other districts in Marion County, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits above the midpoint, meaning it performs better than the typical middle grade school in the county, but the gap between English language arts and math is wide enough that a family should ask how the school supports students who struggle with math and science.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism was not available, which may simply reflect that this metric is not publicly reported for this school, but a parent could inquire about attendance patterns directly.
The town itself is small and walkable in its core, with a Bavarian-style commercial strip and a large annual Oktoberfest that draws many visitors. The school buildings sit somewhat apart from the downtown, as do the abbey and monastery that are civic anchors. Housing values in the area are roughly in line with the state benchmark, and the local market has shown a modest decline, though the national market has edged upward. The town’s population has declined in recent decades, suggesting limited growth pressure, and no major new housing developments were identified.
For a family considering this school, the picture is one of a small, community-rooted middle school with a clear academic strength in early middle school English language arts and a weaker showing in math and science. The student body is split nearly evenly between Hispanic and White students, and a majority of families are economically disadvantaged. The school’s overall performance relative to other middle schools in Marion County is above average, but the math and science results are low enough that a parent would want to understand what interventions or support are available. The setting is a small agricultural town with a strong cultural identity but limited growth, and the school is the only public middle school in its district.
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