Central Howell Elementary School, Silverton OR

Original Research by School Decision on Central Howell Elementary School

CentralHowell Elementary School is a public regular school serving kindergarten through eighth grade in Silverton, Oregon, part of the Silver Falls School District. It is one of twelve elementary schools in the district, which covers Silverton and the surrounding rural areas of Marion County. The school sits on its own campus, separate from the downtown commercial core of Silverton, a small city in the Willamette Valley known for its agricultural heritage, the Oregon Garden, and as the gateway to Silver Falls State Park.

The student body is small for a school covering this grade span. Enrollment is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic share and very small numbers of students from other racial backgrounds. About two-fifths of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a share that aligns with a school serving a mix of families in a community where farming and related industries remain dominant land uses. Data on students with disabilities and English learners is not reported in the available records, so families should ask the school directly about those supports.

Academically, Central Howell’s state assessment results from the 2024–2025 school year present a varied picture. Overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places the school above the midpoint relative to other districts in Marion County, a meaningful point of context. Looking at individual grades, however, the pattern is uneven. Seventh grade stands out with strong proficiency in both English language arts and math, both well above typical levels. Sixth grade math also shows a solid share of students meeting benchmarks. In contrast, fifth grade math and science show very low proficiency, and third grade results are also low in both subjects. Eighth grade dips again in ELA and math, while remaining below the state median in science. This wide variation from grade to grade suggests that outcomes can differ sharply depending on the cohort and instruction in a given year. It is uncommon for one grade to perform so much higher than another in the same building, and a parent may want to discuss with the school how curriculum and support are structured across grade levels to understand the swings.

Because Central Howell serves only through eighth grade, there is no graduation rate to report, and no chronic absenteeism or discipline data are available in this profile. The school does not appear to offer specialized programs such as magnet or career pathways, though the data provided do not include a full program listing.

The housing market in Silverton’s zip code is moderately priced relative to the state and national benchmarks. Home values are near the state median, and rents are a meaningful share of income. The area has seen a slight population decline in recent years after earlier growth, and the housing stock is a mix of owner-occupied and rental properties. The commute pattern for many residents involves travel to Salem or other Willamette Valley employment centers, as the mean travel time is notable, suggesting that not all families working outside the home work locally.

For a family considering Central Howell, the school offers a small, rural-adjacent setting with a K–8 continuity that avoids a middle school transition until high school. The academic profile is a mixed bag: relative strength in the county context, but with wide grade-level gaps that warrant a closer look. The community is compact, walkable in its downtown, and anchored by parks and historic landmarks. Families who value a single-school experience from kindergarten through eighth grade in a close-knit agricultural town and want to investigate the uneven academic performance across grades may find this school a reasonable fit. Those seeking consistent high proficiency across all grades or a more urban environment would likely look elsewhere.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 331%

School 31% · District 46% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 429%

School 29% · District 42% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 511%

School 11% · District 38% · ▼ 27 pts below district

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 639%

School 39% · District 34% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 765%

School 65% · District 41% · ▲ 24 pts above district

▲ 35 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

Grade 829%

School 29% · District 32% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 325%

School 25% · District 47% · ▼ 22 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 446%

School 46% · District 50% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 544%

School 44% · District 60% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 644%

School 44% · District 48% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 777%

School 77% · District 57% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▲ 32 pts above state median · ▲ 29 pts above county median

Grade 836%

School 36% · District 46% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Science

Grade 511%

School 11% · District 36% · ▼ 25 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 814%

School 14% · District 34% · ▼ 20 pts below district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

This schoolSilver Falls SD 4J, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.