The top reported proficiency rate is 51% in English language arts. The lowest is 32% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Judson Middle School
Judson Middle School serves sixth through eighth graders in south Salem, part of the Salem-Keizer School District 24J. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and its roughly midsize enrollment for a middle school draws from the surrounding residential neighborhoods. The student body is predominantly white, with a significant Hispanic presence and smaller shares of students who identify as Asian, Black, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, American Indian or Alaska Native, or two or more races. More than two-thirds of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that positions the school as serving a community with considerable economic need. Data on the share of students with individualized education programs or who are English learners were not reported in the available records.
On state assessments, Judson Middle School’s academic results present a mixed picture relative to other schools in Salem and across Marion County. In English language arts, roughly half of students met proficiency benchmarks across grades six through eight, with eighth graders posting the highest rate among the three grade levels. In math, the proficiency rates are lower, with roughly one-third of students scoring at the proficient level across the grade span. Science, tested only in eighth grade, shows a similar one-third proficiency rate. When compared to other districts within Marion County, the school’s overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades places it above the midpoint of the cohort, a notable position given the area’s range. The state testing data covers a single school year, so no trend line is available to show whether scores are rising or falling. The school does not serve high school grades, so no graduation rate applies to it.
The school’s academic picture is set against a backdrop of district-level changes that families moving into the area may want to understand. Salem-Keizer voters approved a construction bond in 2022 that funds safety and security improvements, classroom upgrades, and construction projects across all schools, a measure that increased property taxes. More recently, the district faced budget shortfalls and voted to close several elementary schools in 2023 and 2024, decisions that altered attendance boundaries for some neighborhoods. In 2025, the school board adopted a new three-year strategic plan emphasizing academic excellence, belonging, and workforce readiness, which will shape instructional priorities through 2028.
Housing in the area around Judson reflects a market that is more affordable than the state average but sits above the national median. Typical home values and rents fall into a mid-range for Oregon, and the cost of a mortgage is noticeably higher than the cost to rent a comparable unit, a dynamic that often matters for families deciding between buying and renting near a school. A family considering the area should also factor in the district’s property tax increase from the 2022 bond when weighing monthly housing costs.
Salem itself is Oregon’s capital and second-largest city, anchored by state government, a public university campus, and a significant agricultural food-processing industry. The city’s downtown contains the state capitol, the main public library, and Willamette University, while the broader city spreads across suburban residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors. The school sits on the south side of town, a location that places it outside the downtown core but within a short drive of the city’s amenities. The city has grown steadily in recent years, and the Salem metropolitan area continues to expand along the Interstate 5 corridor, which runs between Portland and Eugene.
For a family considering Judson Middle School, the key takeaway is that it serves a moderate-income community with a diverse student body, where English language arts results are stronger than math and science scores. The school sits in a large district that is actively managing budget pressures and investing in facilities through a voter-approved bond. Parents will want to look into how the recent elementary school closures affect feeder patterns into Judson, and they may want to ask the school directly about math and science instruction, given the proficiency gap between subjects. The school’s overall academic index sits above the middle of the county’s districts, a useful benchmark for comparing options within the Salem area.
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