Is St Helens Middle School a good school?

St Helens Middle School ranks in the bottom 11.9% of Oregon middle schools.

How many students attend St Helens Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 564 students attended St Helens Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of St Helens Middle School?

Students at St Helens Middle School are 75% White, 13% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 2% American Indian, 1% African American.

What high school do graduates of St Helens Middle School attend?

Students who attend St Helens Middle School usually go on to attend St Helens High School

St Helens Middle School

Summary:

St Helens Middle School is a public middle school located in Saint Helens, Oregon, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 607 students. The school is part of the St Helens School District 502, which is ranked 124 out of 140 districts in Oregon and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

St Helens Middle School has consistently underperformed compared to the state average in standardized test scores across all grade levels and subjects. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts ranged from 19.4% to 23.3%, compared to the state average of 40.6% to 43.2%. Similarly, in Mathematics, the school's proficiency rates ranged from 13.5% to 17.4%, compared to the state average of 26.4% to 30.5%. The school's performance is particularly concerning for certain student subgroups, such as female, white, and low socioeconomic status students, who rank in the bottom 10% to 25% of Oregon middle schools.

When comparing St Helens Middle School to nearby schools, such as George Middle School in Portland and Vernonia Middle School, the performance gap is quite significant. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts at George Middle School ranged from 16.5% to 21.4%, and at Vernonia Middle School from 28.6% to 44.7%, compared to St Helens Middle School's 19.4% to 23.3%. The school's performance has also steadily declined over the years, with its statewide ranking dropping from a high of 104th out of 382 Oregon middle schools in 2013-2014 to its current ranking of 327th out of 371, suggesting systemic challenges that have not been adequately addressed.

Detail:

Public 6-8

354 N 15th St
Saint Helens, OR 97051-1399

(503) 366-7300

District: St Helens School District 502

SchoolDigger Rank:
327^th of 371 Oregon Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,808

Students who attend St Helens Middle School usually attend:

High:

St Helens High School

Feeder schools for St Helens Middle School:

Elementary:	Lewis & Clark Elementary School
	McBride Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.7

Number of students: 564

Racial breakdown:

White:

75.0%

Hispanic:

13.5%

Two or more races:

7.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 67.6%

See top rated Oregon middle schools

Compare St Helens Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details St Helens Middle School ranks worse than 88.1% of middle schools in Oregon. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 16.62. (See more...)

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 Racial makeup is: White (75%), Hispanic (13.5%), two or more races (7.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 67.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at St Helens Middle School is 16.7. (See more...)

Compare St Helens Middle School employs 33.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at St Helens Middle School is $15,808.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

St Helens Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks St Helens Middle School 327^th of 371 Oregon public middle schools. (See St Helens Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

St Helens School District 502:

SchoolDigger ranks St Helens School District 502 124^th of 140 Oregon school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for St Helens Middle School?

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Rank History for St Helens Middle School

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Rank History for all students at St Helens Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	OR State Percentile
2004	39.35	173^rd	270	35.9%
2005	35.56	189^th	271	30.3%
2006	30.36	226^th	285	20.7%
2007	30.39	237^th	295	19.7%
2008	44.55	187^th	315	40.6%
2009	61.30	116^th	323	64.1%
2010	64.07	108^th	343	68.5%
2011	39.91	242^nd	357	32.2%
2012	58.70	163^rd	395	58.7%
2013	75.74	71^st	377	81.2%
2014	69.71	104^th	382	72.8%
2015	44.60	212^th	381	44.4%
2016	44.81	216^th	383	43.6%
2017	45.52	203^rd	382	46.9%
2018	56.37	149^th	384	61.2%
2019	46.82	188^th	379	50.4%
2022	22.19	297^th	367	19.1%
2023	20.50	317^th	380	16.6%
2024	16.62	327^th	371	11.9%

See the entire list of Oregon Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at St Helens Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	OR State Percentile
2018	35.44	98^th	137	28.5%
2019	27.31	87^th	115	24.3%
2022	25.70	91^st	110	17.3%
2023	24.22	93^rd	114	18.4%
2024	32.49	86^th	125	31.2%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at St Helens Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	OR State Percentile
2018	37.52	112^th	206	45.6%
2019	24.15	139^th	156	10.9%
2022	19.50	136^th	143	4.9%
2024	36.82	95^th	153	37.9%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at St Helens Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	OR State Percentile
2018	51.02	144^th	325	55.7%
2019	45.88	145^th	282	48.6%
2022	22.24	294^th	364	19.2%
2023	21.69	258^th	312	17.3%
2024	31.38	175^th	244	28.3%

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

Rank History for Female students at St Helens Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	OR State Percentile
2018	57.66	139^th	342	59.4%
2019	44.28	161^st	277	41.9%
2022	26.33	242^nd	310	21.9%
2023	21.08	271^st	323	16.1%
2024	15.53	283^rd	313	9.6%

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

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at St Helens Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	OR State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	32.68	36^th	42	14.3%

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

Rank History for Male students at St Helens Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	OR State Percentile
2018	54.27	140^th	341	58.9%
2019	39.41	174^th	291	40.2%
2022	23.92	248^th	312	20.5%
2023	21.72	268^th	318	15.7%
2024	19.26	275^th	323	14.9%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at St Helens Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	OR State Percentile
2018	55.28	77^th	210	63.3%
2019	26.82	155^th	191	18.8%
2022	35.03	122^nd	194	37.1%
2023	37.13	123^rd	201	38.8%
2024	26.58	153^rd	196	21.9%

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

Rank History for White students at St Helens Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	OR State Percentile
2018	53.16	160^th	357	55.2%
2019	43.72	196^th	344	43.0%
2022	17.65	308^th	355	13.2%
2023	15.02	325^th	360	9.7%
2024	11.16	331^st	349	5.2%

See the entire list of Best Oregon Middle 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

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Enrollment information for St Helens Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	347	1	7	3	3	n/a	n/a	0	361
1989	389	1	5	6	4	n/a	n/a	0	405
1990	418	0	8	5	4	n/a	n/a	0	435
1991	422	1	9	8	5	n/a	n/a	0	445
1992	448	2	6	13	6	n/a	n/a	0	475
1993	424	2	10	11	9	n/a	n/a	0	456
1994	431	2	10	9	10	n/a	n/a	0	462
1995	404	3	14	7	19	n/a	n/a	0	447
1996	404	3	14	7	19	n/a	n/a	0	447
1997	399	0	20	16	12	n/a	n/a	0	447
1998	397	2	15	24	9	n/a	n/a	0	447
1999	438	2	14	24	11	n/a	n/a	0	489
2000	433	4	10	27	21	n/a	n/a	0	495
2001	463	5	6	22	21	n/a	n/a	0	517
2002	827	9	16	40	22	n/a	n/a	0	914
2003	827	9	16	40	22	n/a	n/a	0	914
2004	528	10	10	22	15	n/a	n/a	0	585
2005	512	8	14	25	16	n/a	n/a	0	575
2006	483	1	14	30	0	n/a	n/a	0	528
2007	478	4	12	23	9	n/a	n/a	1	527
2008	491	4	10	25	9	n/a	n/a	0	539
2009	498	2	10	32	24	n/a	n/a	8	574
2010	476	3	7	47	22	n/a	n/a	26	581
2011	407	3	3	48	15	0	31	0	507
2012	379	3	6	43	10	3	30	0	474
2013	363	6	10	37	7	2	19	0	444
2014	384	4	8	38	11	1	24	0	470
2015	350	2	5	49	8	1	29	0	444
2016	321	0	3	40	5	1	26	0	396
2017	312	1	4	46	4	1	26	0	394
2018	316	3	4	55	3	1	35	0	417
2019	354	5	4	42	1	2	30	0	438
2020	504	6	4	64	8	4	45	2	637
2021	480	5	6	62	11	3	45	1	613
2022	476	4	4	69	8	3	35	2	601
2023	471	5	4	72	6	4	43	2	607
2024	423	7	4	76	9	2	42	1	564

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 St Helens Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	361	24.5	14.7	18
1989	405	23.5	17.2	15.8
1990	435	24.3	17.9	16.6
1991	445	25.3	17.5	14.8
1992	475	22.9	20.7	15.8
1993	456	26.0	17.5	17.3
1994	462	23.8	19.4	19
1995	447	25.4	17.6	19
1996	447	25.4	17.6	19
1997	447	25.1	17.8	14.5
1998	447	25.1	17.8	17
1999	489	27.4	17.8	25.8
2000	495	27.5	18.0	40.2
2001	517	29.5	17.5	27.1
2002	914	40.7	22.5	31.6
2003	914	40.7	22.5	31.6
2004	585	26.6	22.0	33.3
2005	575	27.9	20.6	31.7
2006	528	27.0	19.6	33.7
2007	527	28.4	18.6	35
2008	539	32.3	16.7	21.5
2009	574	31.6	18.1	37.5
2010	581	29.5	19.6	41.8
2011	507	26.2	19.3	50.9
2012	474	22.3	21.2	53.8
2013	444	22.4	19.7	50.9
2014	470	23.1	20.3	54.3
2015	444	24.0	18.5	51.6
2016	396	24.0	16.5	42.2
2017	394	23.0	17.1	49
2018	417	22.6	18.3	44.6
2019	438	22.8	19.1	44.5
2020	637	32.0	19.8	44
2021	613	32.4	18.8	n/a
2022	601	31.0	19.3	n/a
2023	607	32.7	18.5	46.8
2024	564	33.6	16.7	67.6

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 St Helens Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	361	24.5	14.7	18
1989	405	23.5	17.2	15.8
1990	435	24.3	17.9	16.6
1991	445	25.3	17.5	14.8
1992	475	22.9	20.7	15.8
1993	456	26.0	17.5	17.3
1994	462	23.8	19.4	19
1995	447	25.4	17.6	19
1996	447	25.4	17.6	19
1997	447	25.1	17.8	14.5
1998	447	25.1	17.8	17
1999	489	27.4	17.8	25.8
2000	495	27.5	18.0	40.2
2001	517	29.5	17.5	27.1
2002	914	40.7	22.5	31.6
2003	914	40.7	22.5	31.6
2004	585	26.6	22.0	33.3
2005	575	27.9	20.6	31.7
2006	528	27.0	19.6	33.7
2007	527	28.4	18.6	35
2008	539	32.3	16.7	21.5
2009	574	31.6	18.1	37.5
2010	581	29.5	19.6	41.8
2011	507	26.2	19.3	50.9
2012	474	22.3	21.2	53.8
2013	444	22.4	19.7	50.9
2014	470	23.1	20.3	54.3
2015	444	24.0	18.5	51.6
2016	396	24.0	16.5	42.2
2017	394	23.0	17.1	49
2018	417	22.6	18.3	44.6
2019	438	22.8	19.1	44.5
2020	637	32.0	19.8	44
2021	613	32.4	18.8	n/a
2022	601	31.0	19.3	n/a
2023	607	32.7	18.5	46.8
2024	564	33.6	16.7	67.6

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 St Helens Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	n/a	n/a	$13,335
2020	n/a	n/a	$12,263
2021	n/a	n/a	$12,776
2022	$1,335 (9.3%)	$13,025 (90.7%)	$14,360
2023	$1,177 (7.4%)	$14,630 (92.5%)	$15,808

Data source: Oregon Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on St Helens Middle 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 188^th of 379 Middle schools	Ranks 317^th of 380 Middle schools	33.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (St Helens Middle School)	51	30.7	20.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (St Helens School District 502)	50.5	28.6	21.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Oregon)	54.9	43.8	11.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (St Helens Middle School)	40.2	19.6	20.6%
7th Grade Mathematics (St Helens School District 502)	39.8	18.4	21.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Oregon)	40.1	29.6	10.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (St Helens Middle School)	48.1	30.1	18%
8th Grade English Language Arts (St Helens School District 502)	47	29.4	17.6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Oregon)	53.2	41.9	11.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (St Helens Middle School)	41	14.6	26.4%
8th Grade Mathematics (St Helens School District 502)	40.1	14	26.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Oregon)	38.3	25.5	12.8%
8th Grade Science (St Helens Middle School)	37.6	15.4	22.2%
8th Grade Science (St Helens School District 502)	36.7	14.9	21.8%
8th Grade Science (Oregon)	37.5	26	11.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	438	607	38.6%
African American	5	5
American Indian	1	6	500%
Asian	4	4
Hispanic	42	72	71.4%
Pacific Islander	2	4	100%
White	354	471	33.1%
Two or More Races	30	43	43.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	44.5%	46.8%	2.3%

Schools Near St Helens Middle 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 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 Mathematics 4th Grade	OSAS Mathematics 5th Grade	OSAS Mathematics 6th Grade	OSAS Mathematics 7th Grade	OSAS Mathematics 8th Grade	OSAS Science 5th Grade	OSAS Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
St Helens Middle School	Public	6-8	354 N 15th St	Saint Helens	97051	Columbia County	St Helens School District 502	No	(n/a)	No	No	(503) 366-7300	564	34	16.7	67.6%	423 (75.0%)	7 (1.2%)	76 (13.5%)	4 (0.7%)	9 (1.6%)	2 (0.4%)	42 (7.4%)	16.6	327^th of 371 public middle schools	11.9%		20.5	317^th of 380 public middle schools	16.6%	10			19.4	22.1	23.3			13.5	13.8	17.4		17.3	$15,808	$1,177	$14,630
Scappoose Middle School	Public	7-8	52265 Columbia River Hwy	Scappoose	97056	Columbia County	Scappoose School District 1J	No	(n/a)	No	No	(971) 200-8004	316	16	19.5	39.2%	240 (75.9%)	1 (0.3%)	40 (12.7%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.3%)	5 (1.6%)	24 (7.6%)	47.1	172^nd of 371 public middle schools	53.6%		36.4	226^th of 380 public middle schools	40.5%	54				44.7	41.5				21.3	26.7		33.3	$17,506	$782	$16,724
Otto Petersen Elementary School	Public	4-6	52050 SE 3rd St	Scappoose	97056	Columbia County	Scappoose School District 1J	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(971) 200-8003	390	20	19.5	39.0%	296 (75.9%)	2 (0.5%)	44 (11.3%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	43 (11.0%)								(n/a)	48.7	46.7	45.6			42.5	33.3	24.6			30.3		$15,488	$663	$14,826
Vernonia Middle School	Public	6-8	1000 Missouri Ave	Vernonia	97064	Columbia County	Vernonia School District 47J	No	(n/a)	No	No	(503) 429-1333	133	8	16.0	54.9%	109 (82.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (9.0%)	1 (0.8%)	2 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (6.0%)	35	234^th of 371 public middle schools	36.9%		14.4	345^th of 380 public middle schools	9.2%	111			28.6	44.7	42.9			16.7	23.7	14.3		28.6	$15,991	$1,094	$14,897
George Middle School	Public	6-8	10000 N Burr	Portland	97203	Multnomah County	Portland School District 1J	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(503) 916-6262	364	31	11.9	66.2%	76 (20.9%)	68 (18.7%)	161 (44.2%)	9 (2.5%)	5 (1.4%)	8 (2.2%)	35 (9.6%)	10.9	350^th of 371 public middle schools	5.7%		11.1	363^rd of 380 public middle schools	4.5%	13			16.5	21.4	19.4			13.0	13.2	6.7		7.5	$25,585	$2,892	$22,693

St Helens Middle School

St Helens Middle School:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

St Helens School District 502:

What do you think?

Rank History for St Helens Middle School

Rank History for all students at St Helens Middle School

Rank History for Multi-racial students at St Helens Middle School

Rank History for Special Education students at St Helens Middle School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at St Helens Middle School

Rank History for Female students at St Helens Middle School

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at St Helens Middle School

Rank History for Male students at St Helens Middle School

Rank History for Hispanic students at St Helens Middle School

Rank History for White students at St Helens Middle School

Enrollment information for St Helens Middle School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at St Helens Middle School

Student/Teacher Ratio St Helens Middle School

Per Pupil Expenditures for St Helens Middle School

Impact of COVID-19 on St Helens Middle School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near St Helens Middle School