Polk County Schools & Education
Polk County, Oregon
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
43/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
85.4%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
85.4%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 82.3%
Per-Pupil Spending
$7,799
National avg $13,239
State avg $7,886
School Score
43/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 41/100
State Score Position
#17
of 36 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Polk County
Measured School Summary
Polk County performs at an average level with a school score of 43/100 and a solid graduation rate of 85.4%.
Funding Context
At $7,799 per pupil, Polk County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 4% above the Oregon average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 3.1 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 1% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Polk 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
24 public schools and 4 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
43/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #17 of 36 Oregon counties with school score data.
Completion
85.4%
3.1 pts above the state average
Funding context
$7,799
$87 below the state average
School coverage
24
4 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Polk County has 24 public schools across 4 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 Polk 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.
Mixed school landscape
Polk County has enough school-level records to compare the local mix, but no single county metric should be treated as the answer. Use district shape, grade span, and data coverage together.
State position
#17
of 36 Oregon counties with school score data. The county score is 2 points above 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.
Central SD 13J
Elementary to high school visible
3,188 students
5 listed schools in this county slice.
Dallas SD 2
Elementary to high school visible
2,968 students
7 listed schools in this county slice.
Perrydale SD 21
Other grade structure
318 students
1 listed school in this county slice.
Falls City SD 57
Elementary and high visible
181 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Dallas SD 2 is the largest listed district slice, with 7 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 Polk County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Polk 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 Polk 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.
Solid Infrastructure for Over 11,000 Students
Polk County operates 24 public schools across four districts, providing a comprehensive education for 11,506 students. The landscape features 13 elementary schools alongside four middle and four high school campuses.
Steady Growth in Graduation Success
The county's graduation rate of 85.4% is higher than the state average of 82.3%, though it remains slightly below the national 87% mark. Schools operate with a per-pupil expenditure of $7,799, which is nearly identical to the Oregon state average.
Central and Dallas Districts Lead the Way
Central SD 13J is the largest provider with 3,188 students, followed closely by Dallas SD 2 with 2,968 students. The county also offers variety through three charter schools, which account for 12.5% of all local public schools.
Balanced Mix of City and Town Settings
The county features a healthy mix of 10 town schools, eight city schools, and six rural campuses. Average school size is exactly 500 students, ranging from the large West Salem High with 1,733 students down to smaller rural outposts.
School Overview
Total Schools
24
in Polk County
Reported Enrollment
11,506
24 schools reporting
School Districts
4
districts
Charter Schools
3
13% of total
School Level Breakdown
4 School Districts in Polk County
Central SD 13J
Dallas SD 2
Perrydale SD 21
Falls City SD 57
24 Public Schools in Polk County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 2 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 24 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Salem High School | Profile | Salem-Keizer SD 24J | Salem, 97304City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 1,733 |
| Central High School | Profile | Central SD 13J | Independence, 97351Town: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 1,100 |
| Dallas High School | Record | Dallas SD 2 | Dallas, 97338Town: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 836 |
| Talmadge Middle School | Record | Central SD 13J | Independence, 97351Town: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 740 |
| LaCreole Middle School | Record | Dallas SD 2 | Dallas, 97338Town: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 586 |
| Straub Middle School | Record | Salem-Keizer SD 24J | Salem, 97304City: Midsize | 6–8 | Middle | 561 |
| Walker Middle School | Record | Salem-Keizer SD 24J | Salem, 97304City: Midsize | 6–8 | Middle | 556 |
| Kalapuya Elementary School | Record | Salem-Keizer SD 24J | Salem, 97304City: Midsize | KG–5 | Primary | 512 |
| Monmouth Elementary School | Record | Central SD 13J | Monmouth, 97361Town: Fringe | KG–5 | Primary | 490 |
| Ash Creek Elementary School | Record | Central SD 13J | Monmouth, 97361Rural: Fringe | KG–5 | Primary | 473 |
| Harritt Elementary School | Record | Salem-Keizer SD 24J | Salem, 97304City: Midsize | KG–5 | Primary | 469 |
| Independence Elementary School | Record | Central SD 13J | Independence, 97351Town: Fringe | KG–5 | Primary | 385 |
| Whitworth Elementary School | Record | Dallas SD 2 | Dallas, 97338Town: Fringe | 4–5 | Primary | 383 |
| Chapman Hill Elementary School | Record | Salem-Keizer SD 24J | Salem, 97304City: Midsize | KG–5 | Primary | 369 |
| Oakdale Heights Elementary School | Record | Dallas SD 2 | Dallas, 97338Town: Fringe | KG–3 | Primary | 353 |
| Myers Elementary School | Record | Salem-Keizer SD 24J | Salem, 97304City: Midsize | KG–5 | Primary | 344 |
| Lyle Elementary School | Record | Dallas SD 2 | Dallas, 97338Town: Fringe | KG–3 | Primary | 326 |
| Perrydale School | Record | Perrydale SD 21 | Amity, 97101Rural: Distant | KG–12 | Other | 318 |
| Brush College Elementary School | Record | Salem-Keizer SD 24J | Salem, 97304City: Midsize | KG–5 | Primary | 307 |
| Dallas Community Charter | Record | Dallas SD 2 | Dallas, 97338Town: Fringe | KG–10 | Charter | 257 |
West Salem High School
Salem-Keizer SD 24J
Salem, 97304 / City: Midsize
Central High School
Central SD 13J
Independence, 97351 / Town: Fringe
Kalapuya Elementary School
Salem-Keizer SD 24J
Salem, 97304 / City: Midsize
Ash Creek Elementary School
Central SD 13J
Monmouth, 97361 / Rural: Fringe
Harritt Elementary School
Salem-Keizer SD 24J
Salem, 97304 / City: Midsize
Independence Elementary School
Central SD 13J
Independence, 97351 / Town: Fringe
Chapman Hill Elementary School
Salem-Keizer SD 24J
Salem, 97304 / City: Midsize
Oakdale Heights Elementary School
Dallas SD 2
Dallas, 97338 / Town: Fringe
Brush College Elementary School
Salem-Keizer SD 24J
Salem, 97304 / City: Midsize
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$7,799
State avg $7,886
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Polk 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 Polk County?
What is the graduation rate in Polk County?
How much does Polk County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Polk County, Oregon — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Polk County, Oregon?
Polk County operates 24 public schools across four districts, providing a comprehensive education for 11,506 students. The landscape features 13 elementary schools alongside four middle and four high school campuses.
How do schools in Polk County perform academically?
The county's graduation rate of 85.4% is higher than the state average of 82.3%, though it remains slightly below the national 87% mark. Schools operate with a per-pupil expenditure of $7,799, which is nearly identical to the Oregon state average.
What are the major school districts in Polk County, Oregon?
Central SD 13J is the largest provider with 3,188 students, followed closely by Dallas SD 2 with 2,968 students. The county also offers variety through three charter schools, which account for 12.5% of all local public schools.
What is the school experience like in Polk County?
The county features a healthy mix of 10 town schools, eight city schools, and six rural campuses. Average school size is exactly 500 students, ranging from the large West Salem High with 1,733 students down to smaller rural outposts.
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.