Abernethy Elementary School vs Grout Elementary School

Grout Elementary School ranks #14 of 1,226 Oregon schools with an overall rating of 9.4 out of 10, placing it 12 spots ahead of Abernethy Elementary School, which holds the #26 position with a 9.2 overall rating. Both schools sit within the top 2% of Oregon elementaries, so the gap is narrow in absolute terms — but in a competitive Portland market, twelve state rank positions represents a meaningful distinction. The two schools sit just 1.4 miles apart, making the choice genuinely comparative rather than geographic.

On academics, Abernethy Elementary School leads decisively with a 9.9 academic score versus Grout Elementary School's 9.3 — a six-tenths gap that reflects stronger current proficiency levels. Grout edges ahead on growth, scoring 9.8 to Abernethy's 9.6, meaning Grout students are advancing at a marginally faster rate relative to expectations. Parents prioritizing where students already perform at the highest levels will favor Abernethy; those focused on the pace of learning gains will find Grout's trajectory slightly more compelling.

The demographic and structural differences between these two schools are the sharpest contrast in this comparison. Grout Elementary School serves 65% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, compared to 15% at Abernethy Elementary School — a 50-point gap that signals very different socioeconomic contexts. Grout's student-teacher ratio of 16.8:1 is also meaningfully lower than Abernethy's 19.4:1, giving Grout students roughly one additional adult for every six students by ratio. Enrollment is comparable: Abernethy serves 330 students, Grout 302, keeping both schools in a similar size range.

Both schools serve grades KG through 05, so neither offers an extended grade span advantage. The distinction here is environmental and contextual rather than programmatic. Grout's lower ratio and higher growth score suggest it is delivering strong results within a high-need population — a harder instructional challenge — while Abernethy's near-perfect academic score of 9.9 reflects a student body that arrives with significant preparation. A parent's choice between them ultimately turns on which of these two profiles aligns with their family's values and their child's specific needs.