The top reported proficiency rate is 39% in Math. The lowest is 37% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on South Prairie Elementary School
South Prairie Elementary School serves second and third graders in Tillamook, Oregon, as part of Tillamook School District 9. Because it covers only these two early-elementary grades, many of the measures used to evaluate a full K-5 or K-8 school do not apply here. There is no graduation rate, no chronic absenteeism data from the school, and no reported rates for special education or English learner populations. Those gaps are expected for a school that serves only seven- and eight-year-olds; the district will hold the full student-outcome picture for the upper grades.
The school’s academic performance is measured by Oregon’s state assessments, which are given in third grade. On the most recent testing year available, about two in five third graders met proficiency in math, and a comparable share met it in English language arts. Among the small set of school districts in Tillamook County with comparable data, South Prairie’s combined proficiency across subjects sits above the midpoint. This is a single year of results with no multi-year trend line available, so a parent may want to ask the school or district office how this year compares with prior cohorts and how the school supports students who are not yet at the benchmark.
Enrollment is on the smaller side for a school serving two grades. The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial share of students who identify as Hispanic, and a smaller number who identify as two or more races. More than two-thirds of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, which is a high rate and signals that a large portion of families face economic strain. This level of need often shapes how a school deploys resources, from meal programs to targeted academic supports.
Tillamook itself is the county seat and the largest city in Tillamook County, with an economy built on dairy production, lumber, and tourism. The city is a commercial and governmental hub, with most civic institutions like the county courthouse, the main library, the hospital, and community college clustered in a compact downtown. The school sits on South Prairie Road, which is on the outskirts of town in a more rural setting, away from the downtown core. The district’s administrative offices are located at the Port of Tillamook Bay, south of the city. Housing in the area is moderately priced relative to state benchmarks, and the local housing market has shown a slight softening in the most recent period.
Because South Prairie is a grade-specific entry point in the district’s elementary sequence, many of a parent’s questions will depend on what comes next. The school’s role is to build foundational skills for children in second and third grade, after which students move to another elementary building within Tillamook SD 9. A parent considering this school should look at the receiving school’s results, the district’s overall academic trajectory, and how the transition between buildings is managed. The available data for South Prairie gives a limited view of that full pathway, so reaching out to the school or attending a parent information night would be a natural next step.
See more original research from School Decision →