The top reported proficiency rate is 49% in English language arts. The lowest is 37% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Durham Elementary School
Durham Elementary School serves students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Tigard, a mixed-use Portland suburb with a diverse economy that includes major retail centers, corporate headquarters, and a growing downtown. It is part of the Tigard-Tualatin School District, and by the available data it has a moderate enrollment for its grade band. The student body is diverse: a little over half of students identify as white, about a quarter as Hispanic, and the remainder as Asian, Black, multiracial, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or American Indian or Alaska Native. About half of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a marker that suggests the school serves a mix of income levels. Information on students receiving special education services or English learner support is not reported in the data provided, which limits a full picture of the school’s support structure; a parent may want to ask the school directly about those programs.
On state assessments from the most recent testing year, Durham Elementary shows a mixed picture in academic proficiency. In English language arts, proficiency rates by grade reach around half of students meeting the bar in third grade and climb to slightly more than half in fifth grade, with fourth grade falling somewhat below that. Math proficiency follows a similar pattern: third and fifth grade both land near half, while fourth grade trails considerably. In science, which is only tested in fifth grade, just over a third of students scored proficient. The available data covers only a single year, so there is no way to see whether these results represent an improvement or a decline over time. For a school that is early-elementary, these numbers point to areas of relative strength in fifth-grade reading and areas that would benefit from attention, particularly fourth-grade math and fifth-grade science.
Compared with other districts in Washington County, Durham Elementary’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits above the midpoint. That is a positive signal, though the comparison is at the district level rather than school to school, and the range among districts is wide. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report, and absenteeism data is also not available for this school year.
Tigard’s housing market reflects its position as a desirable suburb. Home values in the area have been running above both the state and national benchmarks in recent years, and rents have been rising modestly. The city has seen steady population growth, with downtown revitalization efforts underway and a mix of auto-oriented corridors and walkable pockets near the historic downtown. The school itself is located on SW Durham Road, a major artery, and draws students from surrounding residential neighborhoods. The district’s larger picture appears stable, with no major recent changes surfaced in publicly reported information.
For a family considering this school, the key takeaway is a school of moderate size with noticeable demographic diversity and a student body that is about evenly split by income. Academic performance is mixed, with some grades and subjects stronger than others, and the school as a whole sits in the upper half of the county’s districts on the measure available. A parent would likely want to follow up on the missing special populations data and ask about how the school supports students who are not yet meeting benchmarks, especially in math and science. The surrounding community offers a suburban environment with good employment and amenities, and the housing costs reflect that trade-off.
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