The top reported proficiency rate is 49% in English language arts. The lowest is 27% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Pacific Ridge Elementary School
PacificRidge Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in the Seaside School District, a regular public school in the coastal town of Seaside, Oregon. The town itself is a small city with a long history as a tourist destination, built around the Necanicum River and a wide Pacific beach. Its signature landmark is the mile-and-a-half oceanfront Promenade, and Broadway Street anchors a commercial strip with galleries, arcades, and the Seaside Civic and Convention Center. The community is also shaped by its location in a tsunami inundation zone, which has driven a major school relocation project in recent years, moving campuses to the city’s east hills for seismic safety. That project, completed in fall 2020, is a central feature of the district’s recent history and reflects a broader local commitment to emergency preparedness.
Academically, Pacific Ridge’s state test results from 2024–2025 show a mixed picture. In English language arts, proficiency across grades three, four, and five hovers around half of students meeting the benchmark. Math proficiency is lower and drops as students move up: a strength in grade three gives way to noticeably weaker results in fifth grade. Science, tested in grade five only, also shows a low share of students reaching proficiency. When compared with other elementary schools across the four districts in Clatsop County, Pacific Ridge’s overall proficiency index falls in the top quartile, meaning it performs above the midpoint of that local group. The school shares the district’s single-year data, so no trend over time is available.
The student body is diverse. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a moderate level of economic need. The racial and ethnic composition is predominantly white, with a significant Hispanic population and smaller shares of students identifying as two or more races, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Black. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not reported, so families may want to ask the school directly about special education and language support services.
Housing in Seaside carries a cost near the state average, with home values roughly in line with Oregon as a whole and lower than the national benchmark. The local economy leans heavily on tourism, drawing over a million visitors annually, which supports hotels, restaurants, and retail. The school district and city government are also notable employers. The ongoing conversation around tsunami readiness remains a community priority, visible in volunteer emergency supply programs and the recent school relocation.
For a family considering Pacific Ridge, the school offers a regular elementary program in a coastal community with a strong sense of place. Academic performance is uneven, with English language arts being a relative bright spot and math and science areas that a parent might wish to explore with the school. The peer environment reflects the broader town, with economic diversity and a majority-white student body alongside a substantial Hispanic population. The setting is compact and walkable in its core, and the school’s physical location outside the inundation zone—given the recent district construction—offers an added layer of safety that matters to this community.
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