schoolsbycounty

Multnomah County Schools & Education

School Score

38/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

80.9%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

80.9%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 82.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$8,077

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,886

School Score

38/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 41/100

State Score Position

#20

of 36 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Multnomah County

Measured School Summary

Multnomah County faces educational challenges with a school score of 38/100 and a graduation rate of 80.9%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

Multnomah County spends $8,077 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 7% below the Oregon average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 1.4 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 2% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Multnomah 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

165 public schools and 8 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

38/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #20 of 36 Oregon counties with school score data.

Completion

80.9%

1.4 pts below the state average

Funding context

$8,077

$191 above the state average

School coverage

165

8 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

Multnomah County has 165 public schools across 8 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.

Parent decision brief

What Multnomah 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.

Large multi-district county

Multnomah County has many school records across many districts. County averages are only the opening screen; neighborhood-level assignment and grade-band fit matter more here.

State position

#20

of 36 Oregon counties with school score data. The county score is 3 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.

Portland SD 1J

Elementary to high school visible

42,292 students

Elementary 61Middle 13High 10Other 1

85 listed schools in this county slice.

Reynolds SD 7

Elementary to high school visible

9,773 students

Elementary 15Middle 3High 2Other 0

20 listed schools in this county slice.

David Douglas SD 40

Elementary to high school visible

8,580 students

Elementary 10Middle 3High 1Other 0

14 listed schools in this county slice.

Centennial SD 28J

Elementary to high school visible

5,369 students

Elementary 6Middle 2High 1Other 0

9 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Portland SD 1J is the largest listed district slice, with 86 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 Multnomah County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Multnomah 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 Multnomah 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.

Oregon's Largest and Most Diverse School System

Multnomah County manages a massive education network of 165 public schools serving 81,975 students. The system is distributed across eight districts and includes 110 elementary schools and 23 high schools.

Facing Challenges in Urban Graduation Rates

The county's 80.9% graduation rate trails both the Oregon average of 82.3% and the national 87% benchmark. Educational investment sits at $8,077 per pupil, slightly exceeding the state average but remaining below the national $13,000 standard.

Portland SD 1J Anchors the County

Portland SD 1J is the largest district by far, overseeing 86 schools and 43,049 students. Choice is prevalent here, with 17 charter schools making up about 10.3% of the county's total educational options.

A Deeply Urban Educational Experience

The vast majority of schools, 119 in total, are located in city settings, with 43 more in suburban areas. Large campuses like David Douglas High School host 2,698 students, creating a bustling, high-energy environment for learners.

School Overview

Total Schools

165

in Multnomah County

Reported Enrollment

81,975

165 schools reporting

School Districts

8

districts

Charter Schools

17

10% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary110
Middle26
High23
Other6

8 School Districts in Multnomah County

165 Public Schools in Multnomah County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 14 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 20 of 165 matching schools

David Douglas High School

David Douglas SD 40

Portland, 97233 / City: Large

Profile9–12High2,698 students

Reynolds High School

Reynolds SD 7

Troutdale, 97060 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,474 students

Grant High School

Portland SD 1J

Portland, 97212 / City: Large

Profile9–12High2,156 students

Franklin High School

Portland SD 1J

Portland, 97206 / City: Large

Profile9–12High1,966 students

Centennial High School

Centennial SD 28J

Gresham, 97030 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,756 students

Sam Barlow High School

Gresham-Barlow SD 10J

Gresham, 97080 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,710 students

Gresham High School

Gresham-Barlow SD 10J

Gresham, 97030 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,666 students

Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School

Portland SD 1J

Portland, 97219 / City: Large

Profile9–12High1,556 students

Cleveland High School

Portland SD 1J

Portland, 97202 / City: Large

Profile9–12High1,547 students

Lincoln High School

Portland SD 1J

Portland, 97205 / City: Large

Profile9–12High1,525 students

Roosevelt High School

Portland SD 1J

Portland, 97203 / City: Large

Profile9–12High1,484 students

Leodis V. McDaniel High School

Portland SD 1J

Portland, 97266 / City: Large

Profile9–12High1,440 students

Corbett School

Corbett SD 39

Corbett, 97019 / Rural: Fringe

ProfileKG–12Charter1,055 students

Parkrose High School

Parkrose SD 3

Portland, 97220 / City: Large

Profile9–12High998 students

Centennial Middle School

Centennial SD 28J

Portland, 97236 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle876 students

Reynolds Middle School

Reynolds SD 7

Fairview, 97024 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle837 students

Benson Polytechnic High School

Portland SD 1J

Portland, 97266 / City: Large

Record9–12High824 students

Jackson Middle School

Portland SD 1J

Portland, 97219 / City: Large

Record6–8Middle791 students

Ron Russell Middle School

David Douglas SD 40

Portland, 97266 / City: Large

Record6–8Middle770 students

Laurelhurst Elementary School

Portland SD 1J

Portland, 97232 / City: Large

RecordKG–8Primary674 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$8,077

State avg $7,886

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Multnomah County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Oregon counties have the highest graduation rates?
Hood River County (92.0%), Morrow County (91.8%), and Lake County (91.0%) currently lead Oregon among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in Oregon?
Across Oregon counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $7,886. The highest current county values are Wallowa County ($10,680), Gilliam County ($10,676), and Grant County ($10,655). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Multnomah County?
Multnomah County has a school score of 38/100, which is a lower measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Multnomah County?
The high school graduation rate in Multnomah County is 80.9%, which is below the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Multnomah County spend per student?
Multnomah County spends $8,077 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Multnomah County, Oregon — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Multnomah County, Oregon?

Multnomah County manages a massive education network of 165 public schools serving 81,975 students. The system is distributed across eight districts and includes 110 elementary schools and 23 high schools.

How do schools in Multnomah County perform academically?

The county's 80.9% graduation rate trails both the Oregon average of 82.3% and the national 87% benchmark. Educational investment sits at $8,077 per pupil, slightly exceeding the state average but remaining below the national $13,000 standard.

What are the major school districts in Multnomah County, Oregon?

Portland SD 1J is the largest district by far, overseeing 86 schools and 43,049 students. Choice is prevalent here, with 17 charter schools making up about 10.3% of the county's total educational options.

What is the school experience like in Multnomah County?

The vast majority of schools, 119 in total, are located in city settings, with 43 more in suburban areas. Large campuses like David Douglas High School host 2,698 students, creating a bustling, high-energy environment for learners.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

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.