schoolsbycounty

Union County Schools & Education

School Score

54/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

88.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

88.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 82.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$8,326

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,886

School Score

54/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 41/100

State Score Position

#9

of 36 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Union County

Measured School Summary

Union County performs at an average level with a school score of 54/100 and a solid graduation rate of 88.0%.

Funding Context

Union County spends $8,326 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 32% above the Oregon average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 5.7 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 6% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Union 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

13 public schools and 6 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

54/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #9 of 36 Oregon counties with school score data.

Completion

88.0%

5.7 pts above the state average

Funding context

$8,326

$440 above the state average

School coverage

13

6 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

Union County has 13 public schools across 6 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 Union 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.

Choice-program county

Union County has a visible charter, magnet, or virtual-school layer in NCES records. The practical question is eligibility, lottery timing, and transportation, not just whether a school appears nearby.

State position

#9

of 36 Oregon counties with school score data. The county score is 13 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.

La Grande SD 1

Elementary to high school visible

2,088 students

Elementary 3Middle 1High 1Other 0

5 listed schools in this county slice.

Elgin SD 23

Elementary and high visible

405 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

Union SD 5

Elementary and high visible

376 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

Imbler SD 11

Other grade structure

300 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 0Other 1

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

La Grande SD 1 is the largest listed district slice, with 5 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 Union County?

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

A Regional Hub with Six School Districts

Union County provides education for 3,745 students across a network of 13 public schools. The system includes five elementary schools and four high schools, supported by a mix of traditional and charter options.

Leading the State in Graduation Success

Union County achieves an 88% graduation rate, beating both the state and national averages. The county invests $8,326 per pupil, which is more than $400 above the Oregon state average spending level.

La Grande District and Charter Choices

La Grande SD 1 is the largest district with 2,088 students, but charter schools play a major role here. Three charter schools, including Imbler and Cove, represent a high 23.1% of all schools in the county.

Rural Settings and Intimate Classrooms

Eight of the 13 schools are located in rural areas, with the remaining five in town. The average school size is 288 students, with La Grande High School being the largest at 647 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

13

in Union County

Reported Enrollment

3,745

13 schools reporting

School Districts

6

districts

Charter Schools

3

23% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary5
Middle1
High4
Other3

6 School Districts in Union County

La Grande SD 1

5 schools
2,088 students

Elgin SD 23

2 schools
405 students

Union SD 5

2 schools
376 students

Imbler SD 11

1 school
300 students

Cove SD 15

1 school
298 students

North Powder SD 8J

1 school
273 students

13 Public Schools in Union 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 data

Level

Showing 13 of 13 matching schools

La Grande High School

La Grande SD 1

La Grande, 97850 / Town: Remote

Record9–12High647 students

La Grande Middle School

La Grande SD 1

La Grande, 97850 / Town: Remote

Record6–8Middle480 students

Central Elementary School

La Grande SD 1

La Grande, 97850 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–5Primary419 students

Imbler Charter School

Imbler SD 11

Imbler, 97841 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–12Charter300 students

Cove Charter School

Cove SD 15

Cove, 97824 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–12Charter298 students

Island City Elementary School

La Grande SD 1

Island City, 97850 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–5Primary286 students

North Powder Charter School

North Powder SD 8J

North Powder, 97867 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–12Charter273 students

Greenwood Elementary School

La Grande SD 1

La Grande, 97850 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–5Primary256 students

Stella Mayfield Elementary School

Elgin SD 23

Elgin, 97827 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary234 students

Union Elementary School

Union SD 5

Union, 97883 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–6Primary206 students

Elgin High School

Elgin SD 23

Elgin, 97827 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High171 students

Union High School

Union SD 5

Union, 97883 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High170 students

RiverBend High School

ODE YCEP District

La Grande, 97850 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High5 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$8,326

State avg $7,886

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Union 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.

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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 Union County?
Union County has a school score of 54/100, which is a midrange 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 Union County?
The high school graduation rate in Union County is 88.0%, which is above 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 Union County spend per student?
Union County spends $8,326 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 Union County, Oregon — FAQ

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

Union County provides education for 3,745 students across a network of 13 public schools. The system includes five elementary schools and four high schools, supported by a mix of traditional and charter options.

How do schools in Union County perform academically?

Union County achieves an 88% graduation rate, beating both the state and national averages. The county invests $8,326 per pupil, which is more than $400 above the Oregon state average spending level.

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

La Grande SD 1 is the largest district with 2,088 students, but charter schools play a major role here. Three charter schools, including Imbler and Cove, represent a high 23.1% of all schools in the county.

What is the school experience like in Union County?

Eight of the 13 schools are located in rural areas, with the remaining five in town. The average school size is 288 students, with La Grande High School being the largest at 647 students.

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.