Jefferson High School

Summary:

Jefferson High School is a public high school in Portland, Oregon, serving 606 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Portland School District 1J, which is ranked 17 out of 140 districts in the state and rated 4 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Despite being part of a highly-ranked district, Jefferson High School has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of Oregon high schools over the past decade, with only 13% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 8% proficient or better in Mathematics, significantly below the district and state averages. The school's performance is particularly concerning for certain student subgroups, such as African American, Hispanic, and Gifted and Talented students, who rank very low compared to their peers at other schools. Additionally, the school has a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, at 64.52%.

The data reveals a stark contrast between Jefferson High School and several nearby high-performing schools within the Portland School District 1J, such as Cleveland High School, Grant High School, and Lincoln High School, which consistently rank in the top quarter of Oregon high schools and significantly outperform Jefferson High School on academic measures. The higher spending per student at Jefferson High School compared to nearby schools also raises questions about the effective allocation of resources and the need to ensure that additional funding is translating into improved student outcomes.

Detail:

Public 9-12

5210 N Kerby Ave
Portland, OR 97217-2699

(503) 916-5180

District: Portland School District 1J

SchoolDigger Rank:
256^th of 268 Oregon High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $30,406

Feeder schools for Jefferson High School:

Elementary:	Beach Elementary School
	Boise-Eliot Elementary School
	Chief Joseph Elementary School
	Dr. Martin Luther King Junior School
	More...
	Faubion Elementary School
	Irvington Elementary School
	Peninsula Elementary School
	Sabin Elementary School
	Vernon Elementary School
	Woodlawn Elementary School
Middle:	Harriet Tubman Middle School
	Ockley Green Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.5

Number of students: 525

Racial breakdown:

African American:

43.4%

Hispanic:

21.9%

White:

19.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 61.5%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Jefferson High School ranks worse than 95.5% of high schools in Oregon. It also ranks last among 10 ranked high schools in the Portland School District 1J. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.53. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Jefferson High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Jefferson High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (43.4%), Hispanic (21.9%), White (19.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 61.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Jefferson High School is 12.5, which is the 2^nd best among 10 high schools in the Portland School District 1J. (See more...)

Compare Jefferson High School employs 41.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Jefferson High School is $30,406, which is the 3^rd highest among 10 high schools in the Portland School District 1J.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Jefferson High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Jefferson High School 256^th of 268 Oregon public high schools. (See Jefferson High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Portland School District 1J:

SchoolDigger ranks Portland School District 1J 17^th of 140 Oregon school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Jefferson High School

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Rank History for all students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OR State Percentile
2009	5.66	244^th	263	7.2%
2010	12.84	254^th	285	10.9%
2011	12.02	268^th	299	10.4%
2012	18.89	266^th	308	13.6%
2013	7.73	279^th	303	7.9%
2014	17.99	260^th	301	13.6%
2015	18.15	256^th	292	12.3%
2016	3.86	286^th	292	2.1%
2017	11.18	255^th	283	9.9%
2018	10.32	255^th	283	9.9%
2019	21.78	232^nd	266	12.8%
2023	17.47	227^th	258	12.0%
2024	9.53	256^th	268	4.5%

See the entire list of Oregon High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OR State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	18.67	88^th	98	10.2%
2024	14.35	64^th	68	5.9%

See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OR State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	10.52	132^nd	132	0.0%
2019	74.92	10^th	98	89.8%

See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OR State Percentile
2018	6.14	244^th	254	3.9%
2019	12.38	214^th	229	6.6%
2023	24.46	180^th	224	19.6%
2024	15.92	160^th	170	5.9%

See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OR State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	11.82	228^th	251	9.2%
2024	10.36	206^th	213	3.3%

See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OR State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	8.85	42^nd	43	2.3%
2019	7.41	45^th	46	2.2%

See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OR State Percentile
2018	7.66	237^th	250	5.2%
2023	33.75	146^th	214	31.8%
2024	10.02	212^th	216	1.9%

See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OR State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	9.62	31^st	31	0.0%
2019	9.72	15^th	15	0.0%

See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OR State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	11.69	153^rd	156	1.9%
2019	24.33	122^nd	144	15.3%

See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OR State Percentile
2018	59.42	111^th	266	58.3%
2019	62.98	78^th	245	68.2%
2024	26.00	190^th	244	22.1%

See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Oregon Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Oregon Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a student
Thursday, November 7, 2019

It is a great school. Perfect harmony between students and teachers. Not very many fights. Good atmosphere. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Jefferson High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2007	73	386	19	75	10	n/a	n/a	3	566
2008	122	445	29	81	16	n/a	n/a	14	707
2009	119	360	41	80	4	n/a	n/a	27	631
2010	120	322	40	95	5	n/a	n/a	29	611
2011	143	332	17	77	7	18	27	0	621
2012	139	289	20	82	8	15	30	0	583
2013	75	262	6	53	1	16	28	0	441
2014	85	290	7	64	6	19	38	0	509
2015	93	280	4	62	5	17	31	0	492
2016	105	281	5	70	4	14	43	0	522
2017	150	264	8	89	5	15	58	0	589
2018	189	271	13	114	5	13	71	0	676
2019	199	222	12	123	5	11	80	1	653
2020	202	204	9	125	3	9	85	2	639
2021	177	204	9	135	2	6	81	6	620
2022	138	231	7	123	1	4	80	9	593
2023	121	255	8	132	2	4	76	8	606
2024	101	228	11	115	1	3	61	5	525

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Jefferson High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	566	54.3	10.4	72.8
2008	707	55.1	12.8	74
2009	631	48.4	13.0	70.4
2010	611	43.2	14.1	59.8
2011	621	44.0	14.0	70.7
2012	583	40.2	14.4	76
2013	441	29.9	14.7	76.2
2014	509	28.8	17.6	74.1
2015	492	42.0	11.7	68.1
2016	522	35.0	14.9	68.2
2017	589	38.9	15.1	68.1
2018	676	40.1	16.8	63.2
2019	653	48.6	13.4	57.3
2020	639	44.4	14.3	48
2021	620	43.7	14.1	n/a
2022	593	41.4	14.3	n/a
2023	606	47.4	12.7	64.5
2024	525	41.6	12.5	61.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Jefferson High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	566	54.3	10.4	72.8
2008	707	55.1	12.8	74
2009	631	48.4	13.0	70.4
2010	611	43.2	14.1	59.8
2011	621	44.0	14.0	70.7
2012	583	40.2	14.4	76
2013	441	29.9	14.7	76.2
2014	509	28.8	17.6	74.1
2015	492	42.0	11.7	68.1
2016	522	35.0	14.9	68.2
2017	589	38.9	15.1	68.1
2018	676	40.1	16.8	63.2
2019	653	48.6	13.4	57.3
2020	639	44.4	14.3	48
2021	620	43.7	14.1	n/a
2022	593	41.4	14.3	n/a
2023	606	47.4	12.7	64.5
2024	525	41.6	12.5	61.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Jefferson High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	n/a	n/a	$18,458
2020	n/a	n/a	$20,205
2021	n/a	n/a	$24,636
2022	$1,521 (4.6%)	$31,230 (95.4%)	$32,751
2023	$1,953 (6.4%)	$28,453 (93.6%)	$30,406

Data source: Oregon Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Jefferson High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 232^nd of 266 High schools	Ranks 227^th of 258 High schools	0.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts (Jefferson High School)	42.5	18.2	24.3%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Portland School District 1J)	61.6	49.8	11.8%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Oregon)	66.5	46.2	20.3%
11th Grade Mathematics (Jefferson High School)	23.4	14.3	9.1%
11th Grade Mathematics (Portland School District 1J)	30.6	27.3	3.3%
11th Grade Mathematics (Oregon)	32.1	20.4	11.7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	653	606	7.2%
African American	222	255	14.9%
American Indian	5	2	60%
Asian	12	8	33.3%
Hispanic	123	132	7.3%
Pacific Islander	11	4	63.6%
White	199	121	39.2%
Two or More Races	80	76	5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	57.3%	64.5%	7.2%

Schools Near Jefferson High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				OSAS English Language Arts (2024)	OSAS Mathematics (2024)	OSAS Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	OSAS English Language Arts 11th Grade	OSAS Mathematics 11th Grade	OSAS Science 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Jefferson High School	Public	9-12	5210 N Kerby Ave	Portland	97217	Multnomah County	Portland School District 1J	No	(n/a)	No	No	(503) 916-5180	525	42	12.5	61.5%	101 (19.2%)	228 (43.4%)	115 (21.9%)	11 (2.1%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.6%)	61 (11.6%)	9.5	256^th of 268 public high schools	4.5%		17.5	227^th of 258 public high schools	12.0%	29	13.0	8.0	9.6	$30,406	$1,953	$28,453
Rivercrest Academy	Public	9-12	3002 NE Ainsworth St	Portland	97211	Multnomah County	Multnomah Education Service District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(503) 255-1841	11	0			10 (90.9%)	1 (9.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Alliance High School	Public	9-12	4039 NE Alberta Ct	Portland	97211	Multnomah County	Portland School District 1J	No	(n/a)	No	No	(503) 916-5747	193	25	7.8	66.8%	77 (39.9%)	26 (13.5%)	42 (21.8%)	4 (2.1%)	7 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (12.4%)	32.5	181^st of 268 public high schools	32.5%					(n/a)	33.3		28.6	$42,113	$3,491	$38,622
Grant High School	Public	9-12	2245 NE 36th Ave	Portland	97212	Multnomah County	Portland School District 1J	No	(n/a)	No	No	(503) 916-5160	2,179	102	21.3	17.7%	1,431 (65.7%)	137 (6.3%)	173 (7.9%)	63 (2.9%)	3 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	314 (14.4%)	93.5	12^th of 268 public high schools	95.5%		75.6	51^st of 258 public high schools	80.2%	39	76.3	40.4	57.2	$19,579	$1,553	$18,026
Lincoln High School	Public	9-12	1750 SW Salmon St.	Portland	97205	Multnomah County	Portland School District 1J	No	(n/a)	No	No	(503) 916-5200	1,579	77	20.6	14.6%	990 (62.7%)	53 (3.4%)	162 (10.3%)	151 (9.6%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	194 (12.3%)	90.6	19^th of 268 public high schools	92.9%		90.7	16^th of 258 public high schools	93.8%	3	65.1	38.0	63.1	$20,889	$1,565	$19,324
Roosevelt High School	Public	9-12	6941 N Central St	Portland	97203	Multnomah County	Portland School District 1J	No	(n/a)	No	No	(503) 916-5260	1,454	87	16.6	62.2%	441 (30.3%)	181 (12.4%)	572 (39.3%)	31 (2.1%)	6 (0.4%)	24 (1.7%)	163 (11.2%)	19.6	227^th of 268 public high schools	15.3%		19.1	220^th of 258 public high schools	14.7%	7	25.2		21.3	$23,201	$2,002	$21,199
Hassolo School	Public	6-12	1401 NE 68th Ave	Portland	97213	Multnomah County	Multnomah Education Service District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(503) 257-1645	7	0			1 (14.3%)	1 (14.3%)	5 (71.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Cleveland High School	Public	9-12	3400 SE 26th Ave	Portland	97202	Multnomah County	Portland School District 1J	No	(n/a)	No	No	(503) 916-5120	1,472	76	19.2	20.9%	982 (66.7%)	30 (2.0%)	118 (8.0%)	122 (8.3%)	3 (0.2%)	3 (0.2%)	177 (12.0%)	88.5	22^nd of 268 public high schools	91.8%		88	25^th of 258 public high schools	90.3%	3	64.6	46.7	50.4	$20,960	$1,647	$19,313
Helensview High School	Public	6-12	8678 NE Sumner St	Portland	97220	Multnomah County	Multnomah Education Service District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(503) 262-4150	129	9	14.5		29 (22.5%)	34 (26.4%)	29 (22.5%)	2 (1.6%)	6 (4.7%)	1 (0.8%)	23 (17.8%)								(n/a)
Franklin High School	Public	9-12	5405 SE Woodward St	Portland	97206	Multnomah County	Portland School District 1J	No	(n/a)	No	No	(503) 916-5140	1,811	102	17.6	41.2%	923 (51.0%)	84 (4.6%)	352 (19.4%)	199 (11.0%)	6 (0.3%)	26 (1.4%)	170 (9.4%)	56.4	97^th of 268 public high schools	63.8%		45.2	125^th of 258 public high schools	51.6%	28	50.6	21.9	34.8	$21,358	$1,589	$19,769

Frequently Asked Questions about Jefferson High School

What schools feed into Jefferson High School?

Jefferson High School

Jefferson High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Portland School District 1J:

Average Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Jefferson High School

Rank History for all students at Jefferson High School

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Jefferson High School

Rank History for Special Education students at Jefferson High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Jefferson High School

Rank History for Female students at Jefferson High School

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Jefferson High School

Rank History for Male students at Jefferson High School

Rank History for African American students at Jefferson High School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Jefferson High School

Rank History for White students at Jefferson High School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Jefferson High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Jefferson High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Jefferson High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Jefferson High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Jefferson High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Jefferson High School

Frequently Asked Questions about Jefferson High School

Rate Jefferson High School!

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