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McKay High School

Summary:

McKay High School is a public high school located in Salem, Oregon, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 2,311 students. It is part of the Salem-Keizer School District 24J, which is ranked 106 out of 140 districts in Oregon and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Over the past decade, McKay High School's statewide ranking has steadily declined, from a high of 146 out of 301 Oregon high schools in 2013-2014 to its current ranking of 250 out of 268 in 2023-2024, with a 0-star rating.

McKay High School consistently underperforms compared to the Salem-Keizer School District and the state of Oregon in standardized test scores. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 18.3% of 11th-grade students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 34.1% for the district and 45.2% for the state. In Mathematics, the proficiency rate was just 7.4%, compared to 11.1% for the district and 20% for the state. The school's Science proficiency rate was also low at 13.5%, compared to 16.8% for the district and 32% for the state. McKay High School struggles to support the academic achievement of various student subgroups, ranking in the bottom quartile of Oregon high schools for female, male, Hispanic, and low socioeconomic status students. However, the school performs relatively better for Asian and Pacific Islander students, ranking in the top half of Oregon high schools for these subgroups.

Despite the higher-than-average spending per student at $17,850 in the 2021-2022 school year, McKay High School's academic performance remains poor. This raises questions about the effectiveness of the school's resource allocation and the need to ensure that funding is being directed towards evidence-based strategies and programs that can drive meaningful improvements in student learning. When compared to other high schools in the Salem-Keizer School District, such as Sprague High School, McKay High School significantly underperforms in all three tested subject areas (English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science) by a wide margin.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 2440 Lancaster Dr NE
       Salem, OR  97305-1292

(503) 399-3080

District: Salem-Keizer School District 24J

SchoolDigger Rank:
250th of 268 Oregon High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $18,907 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  22.8 Help
Number of students:  2,299

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
72.4%
White:
15.7%
Pacific Islander:
4.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  67.8% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details McKay High School ranks worse than 93.3% of high schools in Oregon. It also ranks 7th among 8 ranked high schools in the Salem-Keizer School District 24J. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 11.81. (See more...)
Help
The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at McKay 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 Racial makeup is: Hispanic (72.4%), White (15.7%), Pacific Islander (4.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 67.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Salem-Keizer School District 24J. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at McKay High School is 22.8, which is the 4th best among 8 high schools in the Salem-Keizer School District 24J. (See more...)
Help
Compare McKay High School employs 100.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at McKay High School is $18,907, which is the lowest among 8 high schools in the Salem-Keizer School District 24J!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

McKay High School:

SchoolDigger ranks McKay High School 250th of 268 Oregon public high schools. (See McKay High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Migrant students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
Pacific Islander 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 McKay High School?

Rank History for McKay High School

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Rank History for all students at McKay High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 9.47 211th 225 6.2%
2005 18.47 202nd 231 12.6%
2006 26.21 195th 235 17.0%
2007 19.54 216th 244 11.5%
2008 17.27 224th 249 10.0%
2009 15.96 230th 263 12.5%
2010 26.63 230th 285 19.3%
2011 28.13 241st 299 19.4%
2012 41.57 211th 308 31.5%
2013 55.33 157th 303 48.2%
2014 56.76 146th 301 51.5%
2015 44.70 174th 292 40.4%
2016 32.64 222nd 292 24.0%
2017 31.53 207th 283 26.9%
2018 36.93 193rd 283 31.8%
2019 34.11 188th 266 29.3%
2022 9.15 237th 241 1.7%
2023 9.17 248th 258 3.9%
2024 11.81 250th 268 6.7%
See the entire list of Oregon High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at McKay High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.75 23rd 98 76.5%
2019 29.35 50th 66 24.2%
2023 8.43 68th 69 1.4%
2024 37.46 36th 68 47.1%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at McKay High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.99 95th 132 28.0%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.99 116th 254 54.3%
2019 52.26 105th 229 54.1%
2022 9.15 237th 241 1.7%
2023 13.33 209th 224 6.7%
2024 18.05 155th 170 8.8%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at McKay High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 21.35 18th 20 10.0%
2024 18.27 16th 17 5.9%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at McKay High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 16.93 13th 13 0.0%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at McKay High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.42 181st 251 27.9%
2019 22.57 177th 199 11.1%
2022 7.65 192nd 194 1.0%
2023 10.24 190th 200 5.0%
2024 13.01 198th 213 7.0%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at McKay High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.67 31st 43 27.9%
2019 45.52 29th 46 37.0%
2023 10.49 73rd 75 2.7%
2024 18.79 63rd 69 8.7%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at McKay High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.97 171st 250 31.6%
2019 33.62 153rd 206 25.7%
2022 11.22 194th 200 3.0%
2023 8.21 206th 214 3.7%
2024 11.19 207th 216 4.2%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at McKay High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.11 32nd 43 25.6%
2019 66.98 10th 34 70.6%
2022 15.57 19th 20 5.0%
2023 17.14 35th 37 5.4%
2024 44.36 19th 35 45.7%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at McKay High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.25 23rd 31 25.8%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at McKay High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.91 65th 156 58.3%
2019 43.83 81st 144 43.8%
2022 16.07 119th 123 3.3%
2023 12.65 125th 134 6.7%
2024 14.32 129th 132 2.3%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at McKay High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.20 9th 12 25.0%
2019 68.55 1st 5 80.0%
2024 47.36 3rd 4 25.0%
See the entire list of Best Oregon High Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at McKay High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools OR State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.65 181st 266 32.0%
2019 43.46 151st 245 38.4%
2022 15.20 203rd 228 11.0%
2023 23.75 199th 237 16.0%
2024 18.71 213th 244 12.7%
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.

McKay High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Oregon Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Friday, March 25, 2011

Open Quote The teachers are fabulous and encourage us to succeed. We are proud to be royal scots! Close Quote



Enrollment information for McKay 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 1288 14 142 72 13 n/a n/a 0 1529
1989 1285 15 135 76 17 n/a n/a 0 1528
1990 1205 16 141 105 20 n/a n/a 0 1487
1991 1274 24 149 111 15 n/a n/a 0 1573
1992 1332 18 144 132 14 n/a n/a 0 1640
1993 1406 30 148 163 20 n/a n/a 0 1767
1994 1443 31 134 218 23 n/a n/a 0 1849
1995 1300 30 115 220 21 n/a n/a 3 1689
1996 1300 30 115 220 21 n/a n/a 3 1689
1997 1327 28 111 258 16 n/a n/a 9 1749
1998 1340 31 119 283 22 n/a n/a 0 1795
1999 1359 38 107 319 25 n/a n/a 0 1848
2000 1303 31 113 383 31 n/a n/a 0 1861
2001 1239 39 117 455 36 n/a n/a 0 1886
2002 1083 49 162 548 33 n/a n/a 79 1954
2003 1083 49 162 548 33 n/a n/a 79 1954
2004 988 50 134 551 38 n/a n/a 92 1853
2005 993 47 159 635 34 n/a n/a 58 1926
2006 897 40 139 689 26 n/a n/a 0 1791
2007 827 36 148 765 33 n/a n/a 114 1923
2008 732 35 171 831 31 n/a n/a 116 1916
2009 603 43 161 868 31 n/a n/a 121 1827
2010 565 38 154 1027 23 n/a n/a 37 1844
2011 522 37 82 1055 31 57 53 0 1837
2012 461 33 78 1112 21 57 62 0 1824
2013 473 20 75 1225 17 79 68 0 1957
2014 512 21 70 1320 17 78 54 0 2072
2015 521 21 69 1463 17 81 53 0 2225
2016 600 27 82 1458 16 84 50 0 2317
2017 579 28 74 1583 19 106 57 0 2446
2018 547 33 82 1575 13 107 58 0 2415
2019 579 37 72 1520 9 123 58 0 2398
2020 533 37 65 1520 5 103 56 0 2319
2021 491 31 55 1557 4 121 70 1 2330
2022 418 19 67 1606 6 124 69 0 2309
2023 369 17 64 1662 6 126 66 1 2311
2024 360 24 58 1664 11 112 64 6 2299

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 McKay High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1529 67.3 22.7 23.7
1989 1528 71.2 21.4 14.1
1990 1487 69.9 21.2 15.8
1991 1573 70.7 22.2 16.9
1992 1640 73.1 22.4 21.2
1993 1767 84.3 21.0 20.5
1994 1849 89.5 20.7 20.9
1995 1689 72.7 23.2 23.5
1996 1689 72.7 23.2 23.5
1997 1749 77.8 22.5 22.1
1998 1795 79.3 22.6 19.9
1999 1848 76.2 24.3 44.6
2000 1861 83.0 22.4 39.7
2001 1886 82.7 22.8 41.1
2002 1954 79.3 24.6 50.8
2003 1954 79.3 24.6 50.8
2004 1853 87.6 21.2 57.9
2005 1926 87.0 22.1 54.5
2006 1791 92.0 19.5 59.7
2007 1923 104.9 18.3 61.4
2008 1916 93.6 20.5 64.8
2009 1827 92.6 19.7 99.2
2010 1844 75.7 24.3 88.5
2011 1837 88.0 20.8 81.1
2012 1824 81.4 22.4 84.9
2013 1957 83.1 23.5 84.9
2014 2072 80.5 25.7 84.9
2015 2225 87.0 25.5 83
2016 2317 97.0 23.8 83
2017 2446 101.6 24.0 81.8
2018 2415 100.1 24.1 79.1
2019 2398 103.0 23.2 79.1
2020 2319 99.6 23.2 79.1
2021 2330 91.5 25.4 n/a
2022 2309 94.3 24.4 n/a
2023 2311 105.0 21.9 101.9
2024 2299 100.6 22.8 67.8

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 McKay High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1529 67.3 22.7 23.7
1989 1528 71.2 21.4 14.1
1990 1487 69.9 21.2 15.8
1991 1573 70.7 22.2 16.9
1992 1640 73.1 22.4 21.2
1993 1767 84.3 21.0 20.5
1994 1849 89.5 20.7 20.9
1995 1689 72.7 23.2 23.5
1996 1689 72.7 23.2 23.5
1997 1749 77.8 22.5 22.1
1998 1795 79.3 22.6 19.9
1999 1848 76.2 24.3 44.6
2000 1861 83.0 22.4 39.7
2001 1886 82.7 22.8 41.1
2002 1954 79.3 24.6 50.8
2003 1954 79.3 24.6 50.8
2004 1853 87.6 21.2 57.9
2005 1926 87.0 22.1 54.5
2006 1791 92.0 19.5 59.7
2007 1923 104.9 18.3 61.4
2008 1916 93.6 20.5 64.8
2009 1827 92.6 19.7 99.2
2010 1844 75.7 24.3 88.5
2011 1837 88.0 20.8 81.1
2012 1824 81.4 22.4 84.9
2013 1957 83.1 23.5 84.9
2014 2072 80.5 25.7 84.9
2015 2225 87.0 25.5 83
2016 2317 97.0 23.8 83
2017 2446 101.6 24.0 81.8
2018 2415 100.1 24.1 79.1
2019 2398 103.0 23.2 79.1
2020 2319 99.6 23.2 79.1
2021 2330 91.5 25.4 n/a
2022 2309 94.3 24.4 n/a
2023 2311 105.0 21.9 101.9
2024 2299 100.6 22.8 67.8

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 McKay 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 $12,761
2020 n/a n/a $12,574
2021 n/a n/a $18,693
2022 $1,399 (7.8%) $16,451 (92.2%) $17,850
2023 $1,418 (7.5%) $17,488 (92.5%) $18,907

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

Impact of COVID-19 on McKay 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 188th of 266 High schoolsRanks 248th of 258 High schools
 25.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts (McKay High School)58.917.5
 41.4%
   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 (McKay High School)27.86.2
 21.6%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Salem-Keizer School District 24J)3512.4
 22.6%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Oregon)32.120.4
 11.7%
11th Grade Science (McKay High School)22.714.8
 7.9%
   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 Students23982311
 3.6%
African American3717
 54.1%
American Indian96
 33.3%
Asian7264
 11.1%
Hispanic15201662
 9.3%
Pacific Islander123126
 2.4%
White579369
 36.3%
Two or More Races5866
 13.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients79.1%101.9%
 22.8%

Schools Near McKay High School








Frequently Asked Questions about McKay High School

Students at McKay High School are 72% Hispanic, 16% White, 5% Pacific Islander, 3% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 1% African American.

In the 2023-24 school year, 2,299 students attended McKay High School.

McKay High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Cesar E Chavez Elementary
Elementary : Hallman Elementary School
Elementary : Hammond Elementary School
Elementary : Hayesville Elementary School
Elementary : Lamb Elementary School
Elementary : Scott Elementary School
Elementary : Swegle Elementary School
Elementary : Washington Elementary School
Elementary : Yoshikai Elementary School
Middle : Stephens Middle School
Middle : Waldo Middle School

McKay High School ranks in the bottom 6.7% of Oregon high schools.


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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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