The top reported proficiency rate is 58% in English language arts. The lowest is 29% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Jane Goodall Environmental Middle Charter School
Jane Goodall Environmental Middle Charter School is a small public charter school in Salem serving grades six through eight. Its name signals a clear focus: environmental and outdoor education is the school’s stated mission, and that thematic identity draws families who want a middle school experience built around ecological learning and place-based science.
The school’s enrollment is small, giving it the feel of a tight-knit learning community. The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic minority and a handful of students who identify as two or more races. About a fifth of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share well below the district average, which suggests that the school draws from relatively more affluent households within the Salem-Keizer attendance zone. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a parent with a child who receives special education services or is an English language learner would want to ask the school directly about how those populations are served.
Academic performance on Oregon’s state assessments is mixed. In English language arts, a majority of students met proficiency standards across all three grades, with sixth graders posting the strongest results. Math proficiency was more uneven: seventh graders performed solidly, but sixth and eighth graders were at lower levels. Eighth-grade science proficiency was notably low, with about a quarter of students meeting the bar. Overall, when looking across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s combined proficiency index places it in the top quartile among Marion County districts. That is a competitive position locally, though the range among the county’s districts is wide, and the school’s index sits near the top of that range. Because this is a single year of data with no prior trend information available, it is not possible to say whether these results represent a stable pattern or a snapshot in a particular year.
Jane Goodall Environmental is a charter school within the Salem-Keizer School District 24J, which covers Salem and the adjacent city of Keizer. The district has been in flux in recent years. In 2022, voters approved a large construction bond for safety and classroom upgrades across all district schools, a measure that raised property taxes. In 2023 and 2024, the school board closed four elementary schools to close budget shortfalls, changes that have reshaped attendance boundaries and commute patterns for families in affected neighborhoods. In 2025, the board adopted a new three-year strategic plan centered on academic excellence, belonging, and workforce readiness. For families considering this charter school, the district’s financial pressures and shifting school footprint are worth noting, though charter schools in Oregon operate with some autonomy from their authorizing district.
Housing in the school’s Zip Code area is moderately priced relative to the state as a whole. Home values are below the Oregon median but above the national median, and rents track close to national norms. The broader Salem economy is anchored by state government, Salem Health, and food-processing industries, giving the area a stable employment base. Salem itself is Oregon’s second-largest city and the state capital, with a historic downtown, Willamette University adjacent to the capitol grounds, and the typical amenities of a mid-sized city. Transit is provided by Cherriots, and Interstate 5 runs through the city, making Portland roughly an hour north.
For a family considering this school, the fit is likely strongest for a student who is drawn to hands-on environmental learning and thrives in a small, mission-focused middle school. The academic picture is strongest in English language arts, while math and science show more variability. A parent whose child struggles in math or is not yet proficient in science may want to ask about how the school supports students who need extra help in those subjects. The school does not serve high school grades, so any student attending here will need to transition to a high school elsewhere in Salem-Keizer or another option after eighth grade.
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