Atkinson Elementary School vs Creston Elementary School

Creston Elementary School ranks #4 of 1,226 Oregon elementary schools, while Atkinson Elementary School sits at #27 — still an elite standing, but a 23-position gap that reflects a meaningful difference in overall performance. On a 10-point scale, Creston edges Atkinson 9.6 to 9.2, a 0.4-point spread that, at these heights, is harder to close than it looks. Both schools sit within 0.8 miles of each other in Portland, making this a genuine neighborhood choice rather than a logistical one.

Academically, the delta is sharper. Creston Elementary School scores 9.8 out of 10 versus Atkinson Elementary School's 9.1 — a 0.7-point gap that signals a consistent edge in measured proficiency. Growth scores are closer: Creston posts a 9.7 and Atkinson a 9.5, meaning both schools are accelerating student progress at a high level, but Creston still holds the lead. Families weighing raw academic outcomes will find Creston's numbers harder to argue with; families who prioritize trajectory over starting point will find Atkinson nearly as compelling.

The demographic picture separates these schools sharply. Atkinson Elementary School enrolls 366 students with 34% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, while Creston Elementary School serves 238 students with 78% on free or reduced lunch. Despite serving a significantly higher-need population, Creston's ratings top Atkinson's — a signal of exceptional instructional effectiveness relative to socioeconomic context. Student-teacher ratios are close but favor Creston slightly: 15.9:1 versus Atkinson's 16.6:1, meaning Creston teachers carry fewer students per classroom on average.

Both schools serve grades KG through 05 with no programmatic divergence at the grade-span level. The structural difference lies in scale and community composition: Atkinson is 54% larger by enrollment, which can mean broader extracurricular offerings and more peer diversity by income, while Creston's smaller, higher-need population has produced top-four statewide results — a track record that speaks to staff quality and school culture under pressure.