Is Academy for Character Education a good school?

Academy for Character Education ranks 292 nd of 710 Oregon alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Academy for Character Education?

In the 2023-24 school year, 298 students attended Academy for Character Education.

What is the racial makeup of Academy for Character Education?

Students at Academy for Character Education are 83% White, 7% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic, 2% Asian, 1% American Indian.

Academy for Character Education

Summary:

The Academy for Character Education is an alternative public charter school located in Cottage Grove, Oregon, serving grades K-12 with a total enrollment of 326 students. It is part of the South Lane School District 45J3, which is ranked 48 out of 140 districts in Oregon and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

The Academy for Character Education consistently outperforms the South Lane School District and the state of Oregon in standardized test scores across various grade levels and subjects. In 2023-2024, the school's 11th-grade students achieved 89.5% proficiency in English Language Arts, compared to 32.8% for the district and 45.2% for the state. The school's 8th-grade students achieved 90.9% proficiency in English Language Arts, compared to 42.9% for the district and 40.6% for the state. In mathematics, the school's 11th-grade students achieved 63.2% proficiency, compared to 23.8% for the district and 20% for the state. The school's 8th-grade students achieved 63.6% proficiency in mathematics, compared to 22.4% for the district and 26.4% for the state. In science, the school's 11th-grade students achieved 78.9% proficiency, compared to 39.5% for the district and 32% for the state. The school has also maintained a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 20.5 in 2021-2022 to 21 in 2022-2023, compared to the district and state averages. Additionally, the school's spending per student for the 2021-2022 school year was $21,617, which is significantly higher than the state average.

The nearby Childs Way Charter School, which is also part of the South Lane School District 45J3, has a similar student-teacher ratio and spending per student as the Academy for Character Education. However, the academic performance data for Childs Way Charter School is not available, making it difficult to draw direct comparisons. The other nearby schools, such as LESD Life Skills and Teach-NW, have different school types and serve different student populations, making direct comparisons less meaningful. Overall, the Academy for Character Education's consistent academic excellence and unique focus on character education suggest that it is a high-performing school that could provide valuable insights for other schools seeking to improve student outcomes.

Detail:

Public, Charter, Alternative K-12

195 N 6th Street
Cottage Grove, OR 97424

(541) 942-9707

District: South Lane School District 45J3

SchoolDigger Rank:
292^nd of 710 Oregon Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,916

Student/teacher ratio: 19.7

Number of students: 298

Racial breakdown:

White:

82.6%

Two or more races:

7.0%

Hispanic:

6.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 0%

See top rated Oregon elementary schools

Compare Academy for Character Education to nearby alternative schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Academy for Character Education ranks better than 58.9% of elementary schools in Oregon. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 52.33. (See more...)

Compare Details Academy for Character Education ranks better than 91.6% of middle schools in Oregon. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 88.4. (See more...)

Compare Details Academy for Character Education ranks better than 98.9% of high schools in Oregon. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 99.54. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Academy for Character Education who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (82.6%), two or more races (7%), Hispanic (6.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Academy for Character Education is 19.7. (See more...)

Compare Academy for Character Education employs 15.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Academy for Character Education is $12,916.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Academy for Character Education:

SchoolDigger ranks Academy for Character Education 292^nd of 710 Oregon public elementary schools. (See Academy for Character Education in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Academy for Character Education 31^st of 371 Oregon public middle schools. (See Academy for Character Education in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Academy for Character Education 3^rd of 268 Oregon public high schools. (See Academy for Character Education in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

White students:

South Lane School District 45J3:

SchoolDigger ranks South Lane School District 45J3 48^th of 140 Oregon school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Academy for Character Education.

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Rank History for Academy for Character Education

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Academy for Character Education

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	OR State Percentile
2011	73.36	145^th	695	79.1%
2012	81.01	102^nd	730	86.0%
2013	73.59	148^th	707	79.1%
2014	84.32	74^th	695	89.4%
2015	74.53	150^th	706	78.8%
2016	68.35	194^th	697	72.2%
2017	61.14	243^rd	701	65.3%
2018	63.16	237^th	709	66.6%
2019	76.06	143^rd	705	79.7%
2022	66.75	193^rd	706	72.7%
2023	69.48	176^th	706	75.1%
2024	52.33	292^nd	710	58.9%

See the entire list of Oregon Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Academy for Character Education

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	OR State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	67.14	190^th	703	73.0%

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

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Academy for Character Education

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	OR State Percentile
2018	55.12	291^st	681	57.3%
2022	65.13	188^th	646	70.9%
2023	63.77	192^nd	652	70.6%
2024	42.72	351^st	658	46.7%

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

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Academy for Character Education

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	OR State Percentile
2022	76.63	115^th	654	82.4%
2023	68.76	168^th	665	74.7%
2024	57.41	237^th	662	64.2%

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

Rank History for elementary school White students at Academy for Character Education

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	OR State Percentile
2018	52.54	322^nd	683	52.9%
2019	56.15	279^th	662	57.9%
2022	55.75	264^th	666	60.4%
2023	56.29	270^th	656	58.8%
2024	38.11	406^th	670	39.4%

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

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

Rank History for Academy for Character Education

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Rank History for all middle school students at Academy for Character Education

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	OR State Percentile
2010	64.57	104^th	343	69.7%
2011	82.29	34^th	357	90.5%
2012	75.96	67^th	395	83.0%
2014	71.28	99^th	382	74.1%
2015	69.21	96^th	381	74.8%
2016	79.35	52^nd	383	86.4%
2017	55.66	153^rd	382	59.9%
2018	71.18	86^th	384	77.6%
2019	66.31	105^th	379	72.3%
2022	90.31	25^th	367	93.2%
2023	75.74	62^nd	380	83.7%
2024	88.40	31^st	371	91.6%

See the entire list of Oregon Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Academy for Character Education

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	OR State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	90.73	22^nd	364	94.0%

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

Rank History for middle school Female students at Academy for Character Education

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	OR State Percentile
2018	42.99	200^th	342	41.5%
2022	83.12	36^th	310	88.4%
2023	81.13	44^th	323	86.4%
2024	93.42	16^th	313	94.9%

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

Rank History for middle school Male students at Academy for Character Education

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	OR State Percentile
2022	93.81	17^th	312	94.6%
2023	77.55	48^th	318	84.9%
2024	82.79	40^th	323	87.6%

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

Rank History for middle school White students at Academy for Character Education

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	OR State Percentile
2018	53.98	156^th	357	56.3%
2019	58.36	133^rd	344	61.3%
2022	84.06	36^th	355	89.9%
2023	73.01	66^th	360	81.7%
2024	84.90	35^th	349	90.0%

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

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

Rank History for Academy for Character Education

Compare

Rank History for all high school students at Academy for Character Education

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OR State Percentile
2012	92.49	5^th	308	98.4%
2023	98.68	3^rd	258	98.8%
2024	99.54	3^rd	268	98.9%

See the entire list of Oregon Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for high school White students at Academy for Character Education

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OR State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	98.80	4^th	244	98.4%

See the entire list of Best Oregon Alternative 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 parent
Sunday, September 22, 2019

ACE is incredible. The teachers are amazing and very observant so your child is not only learning at top notch but also being taken care of emotionally! The class sizes are perfect at not even 15 students in a class. The at home work does require diligence on behalf of the parents at the elementary age but I wouldn't hesitate over that as there is a great community of parents. Not only that, the teachers are very responsive to email and there is a homework club. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Academy for Character Education

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2008	40	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	22	62
2009	49	0	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	8	58
2010	63	0	1	3	2	n/a	n/a	4	73
2011	71	1	7	5	4	0	3	0	91
2012	105	2	5	8	12	0	4	0	136
2013	98	2	3	6	4	0	10	0	123
2014	132	5	3	16	3	0	11	0	170
2015	98	1	5	9	0	0	4	0	117
2016	144	1	6	9	1	0	3	0	164
2017	154	5	5	6	0	0	10	0	180
2018	162	4	3	6	0	0	10	0	185
2019	182	1	2	11	0	0	8	0	204
2020	166	1	2	12	0	0	10	0	191
2021	238	4	1	31	1	0	17	0	292
2022	268	4	3	27	1	1	25	0	329
2023	271	4	5	23	0	1	21	1	326
2024	246	1	6	20	3	1	21	0	298

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 Academy for Character Education

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	62	0.3	206.7	0
2009	58	2.0	29.0	0
2010	73	8.4	8.6	n/a
2011	91	1.7	53.2	0
2012	136	1.7	78.1	n/a
2013	123	2.7	44.8	n/a
2014	170	3.2	52.6	n/a
2015	117	3.0	39.0	n/a
2016	164	4.0	41.0	n/a
2017	180	3.7	48.3	n/a
2018	185	4.8	38.2	n/a
2019	204	4.8	41.7	n/a
2020	191	6.3	30.1	n/a
2021	292	9.8	29.7	n/a
2022	329	16.0	20.5	n/a
2023	326	15.5	21.0	n/a
2024	298	15.1	19.7	n/a

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 Academy for Character Education

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	62	0.3	206.7	0
2009	58	2.0	29.0	0
2010	73	8.4	8.6	n/a
2011	91	1.7	53.2	0
2012	136	1.7	78.1	n/a
2013	123	2.7	44.8	n/a
2014	170	3.2	52.6	n/a
2015	117	3.0	39.0	n/a
2016	164	4.0	41.0	n/a
2017	180	3.7	48.3	n/a
2018	185	4.8	38.2	n/a
2019	204	4.8	41.7	n/a
2020	191	6.3	30.1	n/a
2021	292	9.8	29.7	n/a
2022	329	16.0	20.5	n/a
2023	326	15.5	21.0	n/a
2024	298	15.1	19.7	n/a

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 Academy for Character Education

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	n/a	n/a	$9,377
2020	n/a	n/a	$9,861
2021	n/a	n/a	$9,749
2022	n/a	$21,617 (100.0%)	$21,617
2023	$1,314 (10.2%)	$11,602 (89.8%)	$12,916

Data source: Oregon Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Academy for Character Education

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 143^rd of 705 Elementary schools	Ranks 176^th of 706 Elementary schools	4.6%
Ranks 105^th of 379 Middle schools	Ranks 62^nd of 380 Middle schools	11.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Academy for Character Education)	57.1	50	7.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Lane School District 45J3)	38.7	32.6	6.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Oregon)	46.5	39.4	7.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Academy for Character Education)	57.1	65	7.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (South Lane School District 45J3)	39.5	35.6	3.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Oregon)	46.4	39.7	6.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Academy for Character Education)	70	34.5	35.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (South Lane School District 45J3)	49.7	33.3	16.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Oregon)	49.2	42.3	6.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Academy for Character Education)	72.7	47.6	25.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (South Lane School District 45J3)	37.7	35.2	2.5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Oregon)	51.5	41	10.5%
6th Grade Mathematics (Academy for Character Education)	40	30	10%
6th Grade Mathematics (South Lane School District 45J3)	26.7	19.8	6.9%
6th Grade Mathematics (Oregon)	37.1	28.1	9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Academy for Character Education)	50	86.7	36.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (South Lane School District 45J3)	51	43.6	7.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Oregon)	54.9	43.8	11.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Academy for Character Education)	53.3	73.3	20%
7th Grade Mathematics (South Lane School District 45J3)	32.8	26.5	6.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Oregon)	40.1	29.6	10.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Academy for Character Education)	45.5	28	17.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (South Lane School District 45J3)	24.4	7.5	16.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Oregon)	38.3	25.5	12.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	204	326	59.8%
African American	1	4	300%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	2	5	150%
Hispanic	11	23	109.1%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	182	271	48.9%
Two or More Races	8	21	162.5%

Schools Near Academy for Character Education

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				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 ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	OSAS English Language Arts 3rd Grade	OSAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	OSAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	OSAS English Language Arts 6th Grade	OSAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	OSAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	OSAS English Language Arts 11th Grade	OSAS Mathematics 3rd Grade	OSAS Mathematics 4th Grade	OSAS Mathematics 5th Grade	OSAS Mathematics 6th Grade	OSAS Mathematics 7th Grade	OSAS Mathematics 8th Grade	OSAS Mathematics 11th Grade	OSAS Science 5th Grade	OSAS Science 8th Grade	OSAS Science 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Academy for Character Education	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	195 N 6th Street	Cottage Grove	97424	Lane County	South Lane School District 45J3	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(541) 942-9707	298	15	19.7		246 (82.6%)	1 (0.3%)	20 (6.7%)	6 (2.0%)	3 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	21 (7.0%)								(n/a)	33.3	50.0	29.4	69.2	56.5	90.9	89.5	33.3	55.0	24.2	53.8	34.8	63.6	63.2	26.5	54.5	78.9	$12,916	$1,315	$11,602
Childs Way Charter School	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	37895 Row River Rd	Dorena	97434	Lane County	South Lane School District 45J3	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(541) 946-1821	96	6	17.3		78 (81.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.1%)	4 (4.2%)	3 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (7.3%)								(n/a)																		$12,916	$1,315	$11,602
Bridge Charter Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	60 S Pioneer St	Lowell	97452	Lane County	Lowell School District 71	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(541) 937-5200	496	23	21.8		420 (84.7%)	6 (1.2%)	33 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (5.6%)								(n/a)	40.0	48.3	26.3	46.4	30.8	44.4	36.8	31.6	35.7	15.4	25.0	25.6	16.7	26.3	31.3	28.9	63.3	$5,304	$431	$4,872
Lane School	Public, Alternative	K-12	1717 City View St	Eugene	97402	Lane County	Lane Education Service District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(541) 461-8500	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Teach-NW	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	101 W 10th Ave	Eugene	97401	Lane County	Marcola School District 79J	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	No	(541) 952-1381	623	21	30.1		480 (77.0%)	6 (1.0%)	64 (10.3%)	2 (0.3%)	6 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	56 (9.0%)								(n/a)																		$3,649	$616	$3,034
LESD Life Skills	Public, Alternative	K-12	1200 Highway 99 N	Eugene	97402	Lane County	Lane Education Service District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(541) 461-8200	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)

Academy for Character Education

Academy for Character Education:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

South Lane School District 45J3:

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Academy for Character Education

Rank History for all elementary school students at Academy for Character Education

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Academy for Character Education

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Academy for Character Education

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Academy for Character Education

Rank History for elementary school White students at Academy for Character Education

Rank History for Academy for Character Education

Rank History for all middle school students at Academy for Character Education

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Academy for Character Education

Rank History for middle school Female students at Academy for Character Education

Rank History for middle school Male students at Academy for Character Education

Rank History for middle school White students at Academy for Character Education

Rank History for Academy for Character Education

Rank History for all high school students at Academy for Character Education

Rank History for high school White students at Academy for Character Education

Review counts

Enrollment information for Academy for Character Education

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Academy for Character Education

Student/Teacher Ratio Academy for Character Education

Per Pupil Expenditures for Academy for Character Education

Impact of COVID-19 on Academy for Character Education

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Academy for Character Education

Frequently Asked Questions about Academy for Character Education

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