The top reported proficiency rate is 17% in English language arts. The lowest is 14% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Rosa Parks Elementary School
Rosa Parks Elementary School is a regular public school in north Portland serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of Portland Public Schools, the largest district in Oregon, a system that has been grappling with enrollment decline and facility consolidation in recent years.
On state assessments for the 2024-2025 school year, the school recorded low proficiency rates in both math and English language arts across the tested grades. In third grade, a small share of students met standards in math, and a similarly modest share did so in reading. Fourth-grade math proficiency was also low, though fourth-grade reading was somewhat higher. Fifth-grade reading proficiency was below the national benchmarks typically expected, while fifth-grade math and science results were suppressed by the state due to very small numbers, indicating that the count of students who scored proficient was too low to report without risking identification. Overall, the school’s combined proficiency index placed it in the bottom quarter relative to other districts in Multnomah County.
The student body is diverse and economically disadvantaged. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Hispanic students make up the largest racial or ethnic group, followed by Black students, then students of two or more races, while White students account for a small share. There are also small numbers of Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Asian, and American Indian or Alaska Native students. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the public record.
Housing in the surrounding zip code is expensive relative to national averages, and rents have been rising. Portland itself is a large city with a strong identity around sustainability, a tech and outdoor-brand economy, and a walkable downtown core. The city’s population has declined slightly since 2020, but the region continues to grow. Portland Public Schools placed a large capital construction bond on the ballot in late 2024, and the district has been pursuing school closures or mergers due to underenrolled buildings.
For a parent or resident considering Rosa Parks, the school offers a neighborhood elementary setting in a large urban district. The academic results on state tests are well below the county median, which may matter for families who prioritize measured proficiency. The school serves only primary grades, so there is no graduation rate to evaluate, and the suppression of fifth-grade results means parents cannot fully see how older elementary students are performing in math and science. With a high-poverty population, the school likely qualifies for federal Title I funding, though that status was not confirmed in the available data. Families may want to ask the school directly about class sizes, specialist teachers, and any intervention or enrichment programs available.
The district’s ongoing consolidation and the bond-funded facility work could affect school assignment and building conditions in the coming years. Beyond test scores, a family’s experience will depend on the fit between the school’s approach, its community, and what a child needs day to day.
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