The top reported proficiency rate is 19% in English language arts. The lowest is 8% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Hayesville Elementary School
Hayesville Elementary School is a regular public school in Salem, Oregon, serving kindergarten through fifth grade. It operates within the Salem-Keizer School District, the state's second-largest district, which covers most of the city and surrounding areas. The school sits in a residential neighborhood on the east side of Salem, a city that blends state government, Willamette University, food-processing industries, and a mix of commercial corridors and suburban subdivisions.
The student body is diverse in composition and predominantly from households with lower incomes. Hispanic students make up the largest share of enrollment, followed by White students and smaller groups of students who are multiracial, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Black, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Asian. The share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals is substantial, a marker of economic need that can affect a school’s resource demands and support systems. Data on students with disabilities and English learners are not available in the records reviewed, so a family with specific concerns in those areas would want to ask the school directly.
On state assessments administered in the 2024–2025 school year, Hayesville’s results are low. Across all tested grades and subjects, the overall proficiency rate places the school in the bottom quartile when compared to other districts in Marion County. In English language arts, the rate of students meeting the state standard was below one in five; in mathematics, it was lower still. Science results for the only tested grade, fifth, were also weak. Because only one year of assessment data is available, there is no basis to judge whether scores are improving or declining. These numbers describe a school where most students are not yet reaching grade-level benchmarks, and a parent considering Hayesville would want a detailed conversation with the principal and teachers about the instructional strategies and interventions in place to address that gap.
The school itself is a standard elementary program with no charter or magnet designation. No information was present about course offerings, staffing levels, class sizes, or disciplinary incidents, so a family should seek that directly. The surrounding Salem area has seen steady population growth in recent years and is a regional hub between Portland and Eugene. Housing values in the zip code that includes Hayesville are close to the state average, and the typical rent is moderate relative to incomes. The broader housing market has seen some softening at the state level, but locally the market remains tight.
Parents moving into the district should be aware of recent changes that affect Salem-Keizer as a whole. Voters approved a sizable construction bond in 2022 that funds safety and facility upgrades across all schools, with a corresponding increase in property taxes. More recently, the district closed several elementary schools to address budget shortfalls, and those closures have redrawn attendance boundaries. A new three-year strategic plan approved in 2025 emphasizes academic excellence, belonging, and workforce readiness, which will shape programming and resource allocation through 2028. These district-level shifts may affect Hayesville in terms of funding, staffing, and feeder patterns, so it is worth monitoring how they play out at the school level.
Hayesville Elementary is a school serving a high-need population in a stable but financially stressed district. Its academic results are a clear soft spot that warrants serious inquiry from any family deciding whether this is the right match for their child. A visit, a talk with the principal about how the school supports struggling students, and a look at what programs—such as tutoring, after-school care, or enrichment—are available would help fill in the picture that the available data leaves incomplete.
See more original research from School Decision →