December 1, 2022
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Portland is known for many things, like “keeping it weird.” It’s also known for top-notch schools consistently making the list of the best schools statewide. 

This Multnomah County city has 691 schools between the many suburbs throughout the Metropolitan area. 

So, if you’re looking for the best schools in Portland, OR, for your kids, rest assured that there’s no shortage of choices. The tricky thing will be not to come up with top-rated schools but how to narrow them down. Good news! We can help with that.

In this blog, we’ll go over the different public and private schools in Portland to help you find the right school for your kids. We hope it helps you! 

How do you find the best schools in Portland, OR?

The Portland Metropolitan area, often called PDX, is massive. The city is 6,687.5 square miles and has a population of 2,510,696. As you might expect, there are a lot of schools at your disposal, between public and private schools.

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How do you know what the best schools in Portland, OR, are? It comes down to a few things:

  • The high-school graduation rate
  • The reading and math proficiencies 
  • The school’s academic ratings
  • And more!

If you’re serious about relocating to Portland and want to figure out what schools are on the best of the best lists so that you can narrow down a part of the city to move to, stay tuned. We’re here to help!

How are public schools in Portland? 

Portland public schools are known for rigorous academics, abundant clubs and activities, and great teachers. The biggest school district in Oregon State is Portland Public Schools, which had a high-school graduation rate of 84.4% in 2021. Taking a look at the state as a whole, Portland is doing well. The statewide graduation rate is 80.6% for the 2021 school year, which is the second-best graduation rate to date, though a small drop from the year prior. 

Portland Public Schools has a reading proficiency of 58% and a math proficiency of 46%. How does that compare to the rest of the state? Portland comes in on top. Oregon’s average reading proficiency is 54%, and its math proficiency is 40%. (These numbers vary based on the grade level.)

If you want your kids to attend a top-rated school with high reading and proficiency levels and plenty of opportunities, the suburbs are a great place to look. They generally score the highest in college prep, classes, and teachers, which means that if you want only the best for your kids, living on the outskirts of Portland might be the right choice. 

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Top-rated public schools in Portland

These are some of the best public schools in the Portland Metropolitan area:

Best Elementary Schools in Portland, Oregon:

Best Middle Schools in Portland, Oregon:

Best High Schools in Portland, Oregon:

What private schools are in Portland? 

The Portland Metropolitan area has 537 private schools. These are some of the top choices: 

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If you’re looking for more of the best private schools in Portland, here are some suggestions:

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What are suburban Portland schools like?

Portland suburbs have some of the top schools not just in the city but in the state. They excel in areas such as academics, teachers, and college prep, as well as diversity. Let’s take a look at the Beaverton School District in Beaverton, OR, for starters.

One sophomore says, “This school district is outstanding! The staff is great and kind. Academically, the district does an amazing job! Diversity is definitely present. But most importantly the schools are very safe and there is a lot of check-ins with students. Lots of parents meetings and involvement, however mostly optional. High schoolers have many club, elective, and sports options. Overall, I LOVE my school district.”

You’ll find that the reviews for many other schools in the Portland suburbs are similar. So, take some time to figure out which suburb you could see yourself living in, and look up what schools are in that suburb. That way, you can ensure your kids have the option to attend a public school in a great area with an easy commute. Otherwise, you can look at the private school options. 

What suburbs have particularly good school systems?

Lake Oswego, West Linn, and Stafford have some of the best school systems in Portland and Oregon as a whole. The beautiful and affluent city of Lake Oswego has just about 41,000 people living there and over 2,200 companies. 

That means that finding employment shouldn’t be too much of a challenge if you want to work in this suburb and have your sights on your kids going to school there. The schools in Lake Oswego, which get an A+ on nearly all counts, will challenge your kids to do their best. Both advanced placement and gifted programs are available. 

Moving onto West Linn, this is a city that’s nothing for its high living standards, education, and fun amenities. West Linn has about 26,764 residents and scores an A in public schools and family friendliness. 

Stafford is another great suburb in Clackamas County that’s one of the top-10 places to raise kids in Oregon. The public schools and family friendliness both get As in this small city, which has a population of 1,940 people. 

What are the best school districts in Portland, OR?

Below are some of the top school districts in PDX:

Lake Oswego School District 

When you research the best schools in Portland, you’ll see Lake Oswego on the list time and time again. The Lake Oswego School District is the top school district in the state, with roughly 6,860 students. How are the reading and math proficiencies? Reading is 84%, and math is 74%. 

Camas School District

This school district is in Camas, WA, a city right next to Vancouver in the Portland Metropolitan area. Like Lake Oswego, it gets a #1 rating, this time for being the top school district in Clark County. About 7,240 students attend classes there, with the reading proficiency at 80% and math proficiency at 73%. 

West Linn-Wilsonville School District

The West Linn-Wilsonville School District serves the Tualatin area and has been voted the second-best school district in the state. The student population is 9,302. As for the reading proficiency, it’s 72%. The math proficiency is 59%. 

Good luck with your school search

Your kids deserve to go to the best schools in Portland, OR. We hope this blog helped give you the answers you were looking for. If you’re ready to get a jump start on this move, don’t forget that your friends at Bellhop can assist you. We offer local Portland moves and long-distance moving services in Portland, as well as hourly labor, to help your move go smoothly. 

Book a move online today.

Tyler Brown
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