South Salem High School

Summary:

South Salem High School is a public high school in Salem, Oregon, serving 2,256 students in grades 9-12. The school faces several challenges, including lower academic performance compared to state and district averages, significant disparities in student group performance, and a high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

Academically, only 36.7% of 11th-grade students at South Salem High School were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the district average of 34.1% and the state average of 45.2%. In Mathematics, only 13.5% of 11th-grade students were proficient or better, compared to the district average of 11.1% and the state average of 20%. The school's performance also varies significantly across different student subgroups, with the school ranking 35th out of 35 Oregon high schools for Asian students, 106th out of 132 for Hispanic students, and 56th out of 69 for students with special education needs.

Interestingly, nearby Early College High School, also within the Salem-Keizer School District 24J, consistently outperforms South Salem High School in academic metrics, ranking among the top 5 high schools in Oregon. Additionally, the school's statewide ranking has declined over the years, from a high of 47th out of 266 Oregon high schools in 2018-2019 to 187th out of 268 in 2023-2024, suggesting the need for targeted interventions and support to improve student outcomes.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 1910 Church St SE
       Salem, OR  97302-3018


(503) 399-3252

District: Salem-Keizer School District 24J

SchoolDigger Rank:
187th of 268 Oregon High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $18,934 Help


Feeder schools for South Salem High School:

Elementary:    Bush Elementary School
    Candalaria Elementary School
    Hoover Elementary School
    Lee Elementary School
    More...
Middle:    Judson Middle School
    Leslie Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  23.3 Help
Number of students:  2,310

Racial breakdown:

White:
46.8%
Hispanic:
37.7%
Two or more races:
6.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  66.8% Help


 See top rated Oregon high schools

 Compare South Salem High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details South Salem High School ranks worse than 69.8% of high schools in Oregon. It also ranks 2nd among 8 ranked high schools in the Salem-Keizer School District 24J. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 30.39. (See more...)
Help
The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at South Salem High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
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
Help
Compare Details South Salem High School has the largest high school student body size in the Salem-Keizer School District 24J. Racial makeup is: White (46.8%), Hispanic (37.7%), two or more races (6.2%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 66.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Salem High School is 23.3. 4 high schools in the Salem-Keizer School District 24J have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare South Salem High School employs 99 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Salem High School is $18,934. 5 high schools in the Salem-Keizer School District 24J spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

South Salem High School:

SchoolDigger ranks South Salem High School 187th of 268 Oregon public high schools. (See South Salem High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Salem-Keizer School District 24J:

SchoolDigger ranks Salem-Keizer School District 24J 106th of 140 Oregon school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for South Salem High School?

Rank History for South Salem High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at South Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 35.14 163rd 225 27.6%
2005 35.71 169th 231 26.8%
2006 37.15 164th 235 30.2%
2007 62.12 81st 244 66.8%
2008 57.00 113th 249 54.6%
2009 50.77 144th 263 45.2%
2010 67.72 92nd 285 67.7%
2011 56.37 162nd 299 45.8%
2012 45.43 200th 308 35.1%
2013 64.60 105th 303 65.3%
2014 66.17 103rd 301 65.8%
2015 75.30 50th 292 82.9%
2016 74.07 52nd 292 82.2%
2017 63.06 92nd 283 67.5%
2018 58.57 117th 283 58.7%
2019 76.23 47th 266 82.3%
2022 34.71 160th 241 33.6%
2023 47.57 118th 258 54.3%
2024 30.39 187th 268 30.2%
See the entire list of Oregon High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at South Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 46.58 55th 98 43.9%
2019 32.57 47th 66 28.8%
2022 29.43 38th 47 19.1%
2023 48.36 32nd 69 53.6%
2024 34.09 40th 68 41.2%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at South Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.60 33rd 132 75.0%
2019 66.30 18th 98 81.6%
2022 49.15 18th 53 66.0%
2023 49.37 34th 80 57.5%
2024 22.44 56th 69 18.8%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.46 139th 254 45.3%
2019 67.35 55th 229 76.0%
2022 34.94 159th 241 34.0%
2023 62.16 65th 224 71.0%
2024 24.69 127th 170 25.3%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at South Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 30.75 15th 20 25.0%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Female students at South Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.14 88th 251 64.9%
2019 71.19 50th 199 74.9%
2022 24.69 152nd 194 21.6%
2023 46.90 96th 200 52.0%
2024 30.75 150th 213 29.6%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at South Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 63.98 17th 43 60.5%
2019 80.12 6th 46 87.0%
2023 50.41 43rd 75 42.7%
2024 45.22 43rd 69 37.7%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at South Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.06 123rd 250 50.8%
2019 81.11 32nd 206 84.5%
2022 41.47 108th 200 46.0%
2023 46.44 107th 214 50.0%
2024 29.80 151st 216 30.1%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Non-Binary students at South Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 53.33 1st 1 0.0%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Non-Binary Students!

Rank History for Asian students at South Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.52 30th 43 30.2%
2019 92.24 2nd 34 94.1%
2022 24.97 17th 20 15.0%
2023 32.68 25th 37 32.4%
2024 13.62 35th 35 0.0%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at South Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 78.38 8th 31 74.2%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at South Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.29 95th 156 39.1%
2019 76.55 18th 144 87.5%
2022 20.64 108th 123 12.2%
2023 36.78 87th 134 35.1%
2024 22.85 106th 132 19.7%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at South Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 70.96 4th 14 71.4%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at South Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.40 10th 12 16.7%
2023 55.67 2nd 4 50.0%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at South Salem High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.05 91st 266 65.8%
2019 78.63 38th 245 84.5%
2022 46.30 123rd 228 46.1%
2023 68.35 64th 237 73.0%
2024 44.04 131st 244 46.3%
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.

South Salem High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: Oregon Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for South Salem High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1320 15 31 36 11 n/a n/a 0 1413
1989 1220 22 39 54 11 n/a n/a 0 1346
1990 1247 14 36 41 10 n/a n/a 0 1348
1991 1327 14 34 55 12 n/a n/a 0 1442
1992 1428 17 33 52 13 n/a n/a 0 1543
1993 1547 21 25 55 16 n/a n/a 0 1664
1994 1613 24 26 66 18 n/a n/a 0 1747
1995 1556 22 35 112 25 n/a n/a 10 1760
1996 1556 22 35 112 25 n/a n/a 10 1760
1997 1595 23 46 130 16 n/a n/a 12 1822
1998 1650 31 43 141 12 n/a n/a 0 1877
1999 1657 25 42 121 11 n/a n/a 0 1856
2000 1716 25 42 161 15 n/a n/a 0 1959
2001 1663 30 57 187 6 n/a n/a 0 1943
2002 1217 20 72 222 13 n/a n/a 127 1671
2003 1217 20 72 222 13 n/a n/a 127 1671
2004 1260 29 74 265 13 n/a n/a 115 1756
2005 1271 25 72 326 17 n/a n/a 92 1803
2006 1320 22 69 393 22 n/a n/a 0 1826
2007 1257 19 74 416 15 n/a n/a 160 1941
2008 1187 19 67 433 14 n/a n/a 174 1894
2009 1201 19 61 408 21 n/a n/a 167 1877
2010 1221 30 68 516 24 n/a n/a 80 1939
2011 1206 31 46 525 33 30 100 0 1971
2012 1188 30 59 581 26 29 110 0 2023
2013 1151 28 56 556 30 27 103 0 1951
2014 1147 23 69 559 26 23 102 0 1949
2015 1074 29 72 578 24 25 102 0 1904
2016 1095 33 71 520 28 21 112 0 1880
2017 1110 21 71 512 21 21 132 0 1888
2018 1130 20 67 533 22 32 145 0 1949
2019 1166 24 61 479 16 37 142 0 1925
2020 1200 28 58 580 12 41 137 1 2057
2021 1206 36 61 685 8 43 152 5 2196
2022 1149 40 61 756 9 46 131 12 2204
2023 1086 39 63 811 8 63 146 40 2256
2024 1080 45 60 871 11 66 144 33 2310

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 South Salem High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1413 67.4 20.9 10.3
1989 1346 67.0 20.0 6.8
1990 1348 68.8 19.5 8.4
1991 1442 65.4 22.0 9.6
1992 1543 69.2 22.2 9.3
1993 1664 82.2 20.2 8.8
1994 1747 82.0 21.3 9.8
1995 1760 74.3 23.7 10.6
1996 1760 74.3 23.7 10.6
1997 1822 76.5 23.8 10.3
1998 1877 82.2 22.8 11.5
1999 1856 81.1 22.9 22.4
2000 1959 87.6 22.4 18.2
2001 1943 94.0 20.7 19.5
2002 1671 76.6 21.8 31.5
2003 1671 76.6 21.8 31.5
2004 1756 73.7 23.8 34.4
2005 1803 78.4 23.0 35.6
2006 1826 88.0 20.8 37.3
2007 1941 100.6 19.3 39.1
2008 1894 91.3 20.7 39.7
2009 1877 88.4 21.2 58.5
2010 1939 83.4 23.2 52.8
2011 1971 79.2 24.8 50.3
2012 2023 75.7 26.6 52.1
2013 1951 75.2 25.9 55.3
2014 1949 75.0 25.9 51.5
2015 1904 78.0 24.4 50.4
2016 1880 78.0 24.1 51.3
2017 1888 82.6 22.8 47.4
2018 1949 78.0 24.9 46.7
2019 1925 81.2 23.6 46
2020 2057 82.4 24.9 45.9
2021 2196 82.1 26.7 n/a
2022 2204 91.8 23.9 n/a
2023 2256 103.3 21.8 95.7
2024 2310 99.0 23.3 66.8

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 South Salem High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1413 67.4 20.9 10.3
1989 1346 67.0 20.0 6.8
1990 1348 68.8 19.5 8.4
1991 1442 65.4 22.0 9.6
1992 1543 69.2 22.2 9.3
1993 1664 82.2 20.2 8.8
1994 1747 82.0 21.3 9.8
1995 1760 74.3 23.7 10.6
1996 1760 74.3 23.7 10.6
1997 1822 76.5 23.8 10.3
1998 1877 82.2 22.8 11.5
1999 1856 81.1 22.9 22.4
2000 1959 87.6 22.4 18.2
2001 1943 94.0 20.7 19.5
2002 1671 76.6 21.8 31.5
2003 1671 76.6 21.8 31.5
2004 1756 73.7 23.8 34.4
2005 1803 78.4 23.0 35.6
2006 1826 88.0 20.8 37.3
2007 1941 100.6 19.3 39.1
2008 1894 91.3 20.7 39.7
2009 1877 88.4 21.2 58.5
2010 1939 83.4 23.2 52.8
2011 1971 79.2 24.8 50.3
2012 2023 75.7 26.6 52.1
2013 1951 75.2 25.9 55.3
2014 1949 75.0 25.9 51.5
2015 1904 78.0 24.4 50.4
2016 1880 78.0 24.1 51.3
2017 1888 82.6 22.8 47.4
2018 1949 78.0 24.9 46.7
2019 1925 81.2 23.6 46
2020 2057 82.4 24.9 45.9
2021 2196 82.1 26.7 n/a
2022 2204 91.8 23.9 n/a
2023 2256 103.3 21.8 95.7
2024 2310 99.0 23.3 66.8

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 South Salem High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 n/a n/a $13,551
2020 n/a n/a $13,786
2021 n/a n/a $14,099
2022 $1,287 (7.4%) $16,197 (92.6%) $17,484
2023 $1,385 (7.3%) $17,549 (92.7%) $18,934

Data source: Oregon Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South Salem 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 47th of 266 High schoolsRanks 118th of 258 High schools
 28.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts (South Salem High School)74.347.6
 26.7%
   11th Grade English Language Arts (Salem-Keizer School District 24J)67.736.1
 31.6%
   11th Grade English Language Arts (Oregon)66.546.2
 20.3%
11th Grade Mathematics (South Salem High School)39.217.8
 21.4%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Salem-Keizer School District 24J)3512.4
 22.6%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Oregon)32.120.4
 11.7%
11th Grade Science (South Salem High School)54.236.9
 17.3%
   11th Grade Science (Salem-Keizer School District 24J)38.322.3
 16%
   11th Grade Science (Oregon)39.532.7
 6.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students19252256
 17.2%
African American2439
 62.5%
American Indian168
 50%
Asian6163
 3.3%
Hispanic479811
 69.3%
Pacific Islander3763
 70.3%
White11661086
 6.9%
Two or More Races142146
 2.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients46%95.7%
 49.7%


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Frequently Asked Questions about South Salem High School

In the 2023-24 school year, 2,310 students attended South Salem High School.

South Salem High School ranks 187th of 268 Oregon high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at South Salem High School are 47% White, 38% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 3% Pacific Islander, 3% Asian, 2% African American, 1% Not Specified.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Oregon Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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