Columbia County Schools & Education
Columbia County, Oregon
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
33/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
82.2%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
82.2%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 82.3%
Per-Pupil Spending
$7,431
National avg $13,239
State avg $7,886
School Score
33/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 41/100
State Score Position
#25
of 36 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Columbia County
Measured School Summary
Columbia County faces educational challenges with a school score of 33/100 and a graduation rate of 82.2%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $7,431 per pupil, Columbia County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 20% below the Oregon average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 0.1 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 6% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Columbia County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
23 public schools and 5 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
33/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #25 of 36 Oregon counties with school score data.
Completion
82.2%
0.1 pts below the state average
Funding context
$7,431
$455 below the state average
School coverage
23
5 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Columbia County has 23 public schools across 5 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Columbia County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Review-carefully county
Columbia County has a lower measured county-level school signal. Use the school table to look for specific districts or grade bands that may differ from the county average.
State position
#25
of 36 Oregon counties with school score data. The county score is 8 points below the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
St Helens SD 502
Elementary to high school visible
2,757 students
8 listed schools in this county slice.
Scappoose SD 1J
Elementary to high school visible
1,980 students
7 listed schools in this county slice.
Rainier SD 13
Elementary and high visible
819 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
Clatskanie SD 6J
Elementary and high visible
688 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Scappoose SD 1J is the largest listed district slice, with 8 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Columbia County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Columbia County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Columbia County, Oregon
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
Community-Driven School Infrastructure
Columbia County is home to 23 public schools and five districts, serving a total of 6,809 students. The system is balanced with 11 elementary schools and six high schools situated throughout the county's towns.
St Helens and Scappoose Lead
St Helens SD 502 is the largest district, enrolling 2,757 students across eight schools. Scappoose SD 1J follows closely, providing education to another 2,191 students in the southern part of the county.
Town-Based Learning with Small Classes
Most students attend one of the 14 schools located in town centers, while nine schools serve more rural areas. With an average enrollment of 296 students per school, Columbia offers an intimate learning experience compared to larger urban counties.
School Overview
Total Schools
23
in Columbia County
Reported Enrollment
6,809
23 schools reporting
School Districts
5
districts
Charter Schools
2
9% of total
School Level Breakdown
5 School Districts in Columbia County
St Helens SD 502
Scappoose SD 1J
Rainier SD 13
Clatskanie SD 6J
Vernonia SD 47J
23 Public Schools in Columbia County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 23 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Helens High School | Record | St Helens SD 502 | St Helens, 97051Town: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 782 |
| Scappoose High School | Record | Scappoose SD 1J | Scappoose, 97056Town: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 656 |
| St Helens Middle School | Record | St Helens SD 502 | St Helens, 97051Town: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 607 |
| McBride Elementary School | Record | St Helens SD 502 | St Helens, 97051Town: Fringe | KG–5 | Primary | 437 |
| Hudson Park Elementary School | Record | Rainier SD 13 | Rainier, 97048Rural: Fringe | KG–6 | Primary | 434 |
| Otto Petersen Elementary School | Record | Scappoose SD 1J | Scappoose, 97056Town: Fringe | 4–6 | Middle | 412 |
| Clatskanie Elementary School | Record | Clatskanie SD 6J | Clatskanie, 97016Rural: Distant | KG–6 | Primary | 397 |
| Rainier Jr/Sr High School | Record | Rainier SD 13 | Rainier, 97048Rural: Fringe | 7–12 | High | 385 |
| Lewis & Clark Elementary School | Record | St Helens SD 502 | St Helens, 97051Town: Fringe | KG–5 | Primary | 381 |
| Grant Watts Elementary School | Record | Scappoose SD 1J | Scappoose, 97056Town: Fringe | KG–3 | Primary | 346 |
| Scappoose Middle School | Record | Scappoose SD 1J | Scappoose, 97056Town: Fringe | 7–8 | Middle | 313 |
| Clatskanie Middle/High School | Record | Clatskanie SD 6J | Clatskanie, 97016Rural: Distant | 7–12 | High | 291 |
| Vernonia Elementary School | Record | Vernonia SD 47J | Vernonia, 97064Rural: Distant | KG–5 | Primary | 228 |
| Columbia City School | Record | St Helens SD 502 | Columbia City, 97018Town: Fringe | KG–5 | Primary | 195 |
| Vernonia High School | Record | Vernonia SD 47J | Vernonia, 97064Rural: Distant | 9–12 | High | 184 |
| St Helens Arthur Academy | Record | St Helens SD 502 | St Helens, 97051Rural: Fringe | KG–6 | Charter | 162 |
| Warren Elementary School | Record | Scappoose SD 1J | Warren, 97053Town: Fringe | KG–3 | Primary | 158 |
| Vernonia Middle School | Record | Vernonia SD 47J | Vernonia, 97064Rural: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 123 |
| St. Helens Virtual Academy | Record | St Helens SD 502 | St Helens, 97051Town: Fringe | KG–12 | Virtual | 108 |
| Plymouth High School | Record | St Helens SD 502 | St Helens, 97051Town: Fringe | 9–12 | Alternative | 85 |
McBride Elementary School
St Helens SD 502
St Helens, 97051 / Town: Fringe
Hudson Park Elementary School
Rainier SD 13
Rainier, 97048 / Rural: Fringe
Otto Petersen Elementary School
Scappoose SD 1J
Scappoose, 97056 / Town: Fringe
Clatskanie Elementary School
Clatskanie SD 6J
Clatskanie, 97016 / Rural: Distant
Lewis & Clark Elementary School
St Helens SD 502
St Helens, 97051 / Town: Fringe
Grant Watts Elementary School
Scappoose SD 1J
Scappoose, 97056 / Town: Fringe
Clatskanie Middle/High School
Clatskanie SD 6J
Clatskanie, 97016 / Rural: Distant
Vernonia Elementary School
Vernonia SD 47J
Vernonia, 97064 / Rural: Distant
Columbia City School
St Helens SD 502
Columbia City, 97018 / Town: Fringe
St Helens Arthur Academy
St Helens SD 502
St Helens, 97051 / Rural: Fringe
St. Helens Virtual Academy
St Helens SD 502
St Helens, 97051 / Town: Fringe
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$7,431
State avg $7,886
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Columbia County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Oregon counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Oregon?
How should I read the school score in Columbia County?
What is the graduation rate in Columbia County?
How much does Columbia County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Columbia County, Oregon — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Columbia County, Oregon?
Columbia County is home to 23 public schools and five districts, serving a total of 6,809 students. The system is balanced with 11 elementary schools and six high schools situated throughout the county's towns.
What are the major school districts in Columbia County, Oregon?
St Helens SD 502 is the largest district, enrolling 2,757 students across eight schools. Scappoose SD 1J follows closely, providing education to another 2,191 students in the southern part of the county.
What is the school experience like in Columbia County?
Most students attend one of the 14 schools located in town centers, while nine schools serve more rural areas. With an average enrollment of 296 students per school, Columbia offers an intimate learning experience compared to larger urban counties.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.