The top reported proficiency rate is 77% in English language arts. The lowest is 75% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Llewellyn Elementary School
Llewellyn Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Portland’s Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood, on the city’s east side. It is a regular public school within the Portland SD 1J district, which is Oregon’s largest school system and the one families across the city navigate as they weigh school options. The school sits in a well-established residential area where the built character is mostly single-family homes and commercial corridors like Southeast Milwaukie Avenue and 13th Avenue. The neighborhood is walkable, with a mix of older houses and newer infill development, and sits relatively close to the Willamette River and the recreational corridor it provides.
Academically, Llewellyn’s state test results place it in a strong position. The school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects lands in the top quartile when compared with other schools in Multnomah County. On the Oregon statewide assessments, reading and math proficiency rates are solid across grades three through five. Fifth-grade reading proficiency is particularly high. Science results for fifth graders, the only tested grade in that subject, are also strong. These are the first year of results from the state’s current assessment, so there is no prior year trend to compare them against, but the single-year snapshot shows a school where most students are meeting state expectations in core academic areas.
Enrollment stands at a size that is moderate for a Portland elementary school. The student body is predominantly white, with Hispanic students making up the next largest group, followed by students who identify as two or more races. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is modest relative to many other schools in the district. Data for students with disabilities and English learners was not provided, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about its special education and language support resources. The school does not appear to receive Title I funding, which aligns with the lower concentration of poverty indicated by the lunch program data.
The peer environment here is shaped by the neighborhood’s housing market, which is among the more expensive in Portland. Home values in the area are well above both the Oregon state median and the national median. Rents are similarly elevated. The cost of housing means that many families who live within the attendance zone are homeowners in a relatively high-cost market, and the school’s socioeconomic profile reflects that. A family considering this school should understand that the affordability of the surrounding area is a real factor in who is able to live nearby.
For context on the district itself, families should be aware that Portland Public Schools has been going through a period of significant change. The district placed a large capital construction bond on the November 2024 ballot, the largest school bond in Oregon history, which would fund facility improvements and seismic upgrades systemwide. At the same time, the district has experienced a notable enrollment decline since before the pandemic, which has led to a long-range facilities planning process that includes proposals to close or merge multiple schools. These district-level dynamics could affect school assignment boundaries, building conditions, and long-term stability for any school in the system, including Llewellyn.
The school serves only elementary grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. That is not a gap in performance; it is simply a function of the grade band. For a family looking for a solid academic start with strong test results in a neighborhood that is walkable, transit-accessible, and relatively expensive, Llewellyn Elementary presents a clear option. The academic evidence shows a school performing well above the county norm. The housing context means the attendance area is one that demands a significant financial commitment. A parent who values strong elementary proficiency in a setting that is not economically diverse should find this school appealing. A parent who wants more economic diversity or who is working with a tighter housing budget may find that the neighborhood itself is a barrier to access. The district’s ongoing consolidation process is something to watch, as it may reshape which schools feed into which middle and high schools in the coming years.
See more original research from School Decision →