The top reported proficiency rate is 15% in English language arts. The lowest is 5% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Coffenberry Middle School
Coffenberry Middle School serves grades six through eight in Myrtle Creek, a small city in Douglas County, Oregon, about halfway between Eugene and Medford along Interstate 5. It is a regular public school within the South Umpqua School District 19. The district also operates a primary school, an elementary school, and a high school located outside Myrtle Creek in Tri City. The middle school shares a campus with the primary school on NE King Street, separated from the downtown business district.
With a total enrollment in the low hundreds, Coffenberry is a small middle school. The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller share of students identifying as two or more races and a modest Hispanic representation. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a community with lower household incomes. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not available, so a family considering the school may want to ask about special education and language support directly.
State assessment results from the 2024–2025 school year show that proficiency rates in math and English language arts are low across all three grades. In math, the share of students meeting state standards is in the single digits for grade seven and grade eight, and slightly above one in ten for grade six. In English language arts, grade six and grade seven each have about one in five students proficient, while grade eight falls sharply to around one in twenty. Science assessment data for grade eight shows a similar low rate. These numbers place Coffenberry’s overall proficiency index in the bottom quartile among middle schools in Douglas County. This is a consistent pattern of academic challenge, and a parent or guardian looking to understand the school’s academic standing should note that most students are not yet reaching state proficiency benchmarks. The school’s website and district office may be able to share what interventions or supports are in place.
The school does not serve high school grades, so no graduation rate is reported. No chronic absenteeism data was available, and the school’s record on discipline, course access, and staffing was also not provided in the available data, so the picture of the school environment is incomplete on those fronts.
Myrtle Creek itself is a car-dependent community with a small downtown centered on Main Street and Millsite Park, where a former lumber mill site now serves as a civic gathering space. The local economy has shifted away from its historical reliance on lumber milling; today, a firearm manufacturing company is the largest employer, along with the school district, healthcare, retail, and manufacturing. The surrounding area is rural, with farms and foothills of the Umpqua National Forest nearby. Housing values in the area are well below the state median, and the local cost of living is relatively low. The population has grown very slowly over the past decade, and no large-scale housing developments were identified in available sources, though an interchange expansion near the municipal airport may improve access.
For the school itself, no recent district-level changes or new initiatives were found in public sources. The district’s website can provide current information on programs, extracurriculars, and any support services. Families considering Coffenberry Middle School will find a small, rural school setting where the student body is economically diverse and the majority are white. The academic proficiency numbers are low compared to other districts in the county, which is a factor worth exploring further with school staff to understand what academic supports and pathways are available. There is no evidence of broad program offerings such as advanced coursework or career and technical education from the data provided, so checking on elective and enrichment opportunities directly would be wise. The school’s size and stable community context may appeal to families who want a close-knit environment, but the academic results suggest that many students need additional support to meet grade-level standards.
See more original research from School Decision →