The top reported proficiency rate is 33% in Math. The lowest is 16% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Yoshikai Elementary School
Yoshikai Elementary School is a regular public school in northeast Salem serving kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of Salem-Keizer SD 24J, a large district that has been navigating budget pressures in recent years; the district closed multiple elementary schools between 2023 and 2024 to address shortfalls, and in mid-2025 it approved a new three-year strategic plan focused on academic excellence, belonging, and workforce readiness. A major construction bond approved by voters in 2022 funds safety and facility upgrades across all district schools.
This is a school where state testing results in 2024-2025 show outcomes that a family will want to consider closely. In English language arts, proficiency rates for third through fifth grade were below the midpoint among elementary schools in Marion County. Math proficiency rates followed a pattern that declined by grade: the third-grade cohort performed markedly stronger than the fourth-grade cohort, and fifth-grade proficiency was lower still. In science, which is tested in fifth grade, the proficiency rate was also below the county midpoint. The school’s overall proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades places it below the midpoint relative to other elementary schools in the county. Single-year data offers no trend line; a parent may want to ask the school about academic improvement efforts and trajectory.
The student body is large for an elementary school. The majority of students are Hispanic, with smaller shares of white students and a modest number of Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and multiracial students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on students with individualized education plans and English learner status was not available in the record.
Salem is Oregon’s capital and second-largest city, a mix of state government employment, agricultural food processing, a public university campus, and residential neighborhoods. The city sits in the Willamette Valley, with the Willamette River flowing through it. Downtown is anchored by the State Capitol, Willamette University, and the main library. Outside the core, the city is largely car-dependent. Yoshikai Elementary is located in a northeast Salem neighborhood, a residential area typical of the city’s suburban-style development. Housing in the school’s ZIP code is modestly priced relative to the state median, with home values that are below the Oregon benchmark; rents are similarly positioned. The area has seen steady population growth, with the city serving as a regional hub along the Interstate 5 corridor between Portland and Eugene.
What this school offers is a neighborhood elementary program within a large district that is investing in facilities but also managing recent closures and a new strategic direction. The academic picture from state testing is a soft spot that a parent should discuss directly with the school: proficiency rates were below county averages, with a notable drop in math from third to fifth grade. The student population is predominantly Hispanic and low-income, typical of many Salem-area schools in this part of the city. The district context includes both a recent bond-funded investment cycle and the disruption of school closures; families moving into the area may want to confirm current attendance boundaries and any projected changes. For a family weighing this school, the test results are the central piece to probe further.
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