The top reported proficiency rate is 66% in English language arts. The lowest is 42% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Creative Science School
Creative Science School is a closed regular public school in Portland, Oregon. It served all middle-grade students through eighth grade, though the school itself is no longer operating. Because it is a closed entity, there is no enrollment data, demographic breakdown, or current program information to assess its peer environment or student support resources. The school was part of Portland Public Schools, the largest school district in Oregon.
As a middle school, Creative Science School does not have a graduation rate to report. State testing data from the 2022-23 school year is available and provides the clearest picture of its academic performance in its final years of operation. The school participated in Oregon's Smarter Balanced Assessments for math and English language arts, as well as the Oregon Statewide Assessment System for science.
In math, proficiency rates showed a clear downward trend as students progressed through the grades. In third grade, roughly half of students scored proficient or above. Fourth grade results were similar. By fifth grade, proficiency dropped to around half. The decline became steeper in sixth grade, where about one-third of students met the standard. Seventh and eighth grade math proficiency rates stayed in the low range, each near roughly a third of students. Parents considering this school for later middle grades would have seen math attainment fall off considerably from the primary grades.
English language arts results presented a stronger picture overall. Third grade proficiency was above half and fourth grade reached a high level. Fifth grade was a standout, with roughly three-quarters of students proficient. Sixth grade performance dropped, with just under half of students meeting the standard, but seventh and eighth grade both returned to strong levels, each above a supermajority. The school showed an uneven but generally capable core in literacy, with the highest performance concentrated in the upper elementary and middle grades.
Science was tested only in fifth and eighth grade. Fifth grade proficiency stood at about half. By eighth grade the rate dropped to slightly more than one-third, a pattern similar to math where attainment weakened in the later middle school years.
No data on student demographics, free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education populations, or English learner classification was available. Because the school is closed, these gaps likely reflect the operational status rather than a failure to report. A parent looking back at Creative Science School's record would see a school that produced solid English language arts results through most middle grades, but struggled with math achievement in the upper grades and science in eighth grade.
Portland, where the school was located, is Oregon's largest city and a major Pacific Northwest metro center. The economy is driven by technology, athletic and outdoor brands, healthcare, shipping, and craft industries. The city has a strong identity around sustainability and urban planning, and its public transit system includes light rail, streetcars, and buses. Since the 1990s, housing costs have risen significantly with gentrification pressures. Population has declined slightly since 2020, though the broader metro area continues to grow. The school's ZIP-area home values were near the national benchmark as of early 2026, with rents roughly on par with the national average, and monthly mortgage costs exceeding rents by a noticeable margin.
Portland Public Schools, the parent district, has been navigating a period of change. Enrollment has declined substantially from pre-pandemic levels, prompting a Long-Range Facility Plan and school consolidation process in 2024-2025 that proposed closing or merging multiple schools. The district placed a large capital construction bond on the November 2024 ballot to fund facility improvements, seismic retrofits, safety upgrades, and accessibility work across the district, which carries implications for school facilities and property taxes for families. These district-level dynamics would have directly affected Creative Science School's community before its closure.
See more original research from School Decision →