Here Are Oregon's 35 Best Public High Schools For 2023

We looked at data supplied by Pittsburgh-based Niche.com. The metrics featured in the slides above gauge which area public high schools, by the researcher's judgment, are Oregon's best.

The Niche numbers arrive on the heels of a National Assessment of Educational Progress report that, as revealed by KGW, confirms that "Oregon students are experiencing learning setbacks in reading and math — a trend seen around the country at historic levels, attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic."

Specifically, the report revealed that students feeding into the state's high schools are, as fourth- and eighth-graders, below average in those two subjects.

In one measure from the report, eighth graders dropped nine points in math and seven points in reading since 2019, according to KGW. A 10-point gain or drop is roughly equivalent to "a year of learning," NAEP said.

The glimpse at high schools also comes in the wake of the pandemic. That noted, many have appeared on the Niche list in years past.

This year, five of the schools on the researcher's list achieved "A-plus" grades. The grades (listed on the slides above) are tabulated from several factors. The rankings are based on overall scores the schools tallied, per Niche.com's calculations.

The U.S. Department of Education supplied the metrics for those scores, which comprise "academic and student life data" along with test scores, college data and other ratings.

The bulk of the grade comes from academics, basing the figure on state tests and SAT/ACT scores along with other factors. Culture and diversity and teacher scores each comprise 10% of the total grade.

Clubs and activities, health and safety, resources and facilities and sports contribute 2.5% each to the grade. While some schools may share the same grade, Niche assigns its rankings based on points accumulated in those seven categories.

Among this year's crop of best high schools:

Portland schools occupy five of the 25 spots.

Eleven of the schools on the list are based in the Portland suburbs. The region's exurbs counted three schools on the list.

One of the schools is located on the Oregon Coast.

Authored By: Andy Giegerich | Managing Editor, Portland Business Journal