Original Research by School Decision on Open Doors for Stevenson High School
Open Doors for Stevenson High School is an alternative school within the Stevenson-Carson School District, serving grades nine through twelve in the small Columbia River Gorge town of Stevenson, Washington. The school is housed at 390 NW Gropper Road.
As an alternative school, it is designed to serve a different set of student needs than the district’s comprehensive high school. The data shows that the school reported a total enrollment of zero students, with zero students recorded in each grade from ninth through twelfth. No breakdown by race or ethnicity was provided with percentages, though all demographic categories were reported with zero counts. Information on students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, students with disabilities served under an IEP, and English learners was all missing from the available data. The school’s Title I status was also not reported.
Because this is an alternative school, the standard academic performance metrics that families often use to evaluate a school are not present in the data. State assessment results were not available, so there is no proficiency information for reading, math, or science. No graduation rate was reported. There is no record of chronic absenteeism, discipline data, course access information, or staffing figures. The comparison with other districts in Skamania County could not be calculated for proficiency, graduation rate, or chronic absenteeism because the school’s own data in these areas was missing. A parent should be aware that the absence of these common metrics is typical for alternative school settings, where the student population and educational model may not fit within standard testing and accountability frameworks. It would be reasonable to contact the school or district directly to ask what academic pathways are available, how student progress is measured, and what the transition looks like for students moving from this program to postsecondary plans.
Stevenson itself is a small town that serves as the county seat of Skamania County, located on the north bank of the Columbia River roughly east of Portland. It sits within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. The local economy has shifted from its historical logging and timber base toward tourism, with attractions like the Skamania Lodge resort, the Columbia Gorge Museum, and the windsurfing and kiteboarding at Bob’s Beach being key draws. Skamania County government is a major employer, along with the school district. The town’s built environment is compact and quiet, with low-rise buildings and a downtown oriented toward the riverfront. Housing values in the area were in a range slightly below the state benchmark recently, and the area saw a modest year-over-year decline in home values, though the national market saw a slight increase over the same period.
No recent parent-relevant changes such as referendums, curriculum shifts, or tax policy adjustments were found for the Stevenson-Carson School District in the available research. The district appears to have been in a steady state with no publicly reported major initiatives or controversies in the recent past. This means a parent moving to the area or considering placement may need to inquire directly about the district’s current priorities and any plans for facilities, programming, or staffing.
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