Creston Elementary School vs Sauvie Island School

Creston Elementary School holds a 0.5-point overall rating advantage over Sauvie Island School — 9.4/10 versus 8.9/10 — and ranks significantly higher statewide: #19 of 1,226 Oregon schools compared to Sauvie Island School's #78. Both are strong performers by any measure, but Creston Elementary School's top-20 placement puts it in a tier that only a small fraction of Oregon public schools reach.

Academically, the two schools are close: Creston Elementary School scores 9.8/10 versus Sauvie Island School's 9.6/10, a difference of 0.2 points. The wider gap appears in growth — Creston Elementary School's 9.7/10 growth score outpaces Sauvie Island School's 8.4/10 by 1.3 points, meaning students at Creston are advancing at a measurably faster rate relative to their starting points, regardless of incoming proficiency level.

Demographically, the schools diverge sharply. Creston Elementary School serves a high-need population — 78% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, compared to 32% at Sauvie Island School. Creston's strong academic and growth scores in that context represent an equity achievement worth noting. Enrollment is similar — 238 at Creston Elementary School versus 214 at Sauvie Island School — and both maintain comparable student-teacher ratios, 15.9:1 and 15.3:1 respectively, giving Sauvie a slight edge in classroom staffing density.

The most structural difference between the two schools is grade span and governance. Creston Elementary School is a regular public school serving grades KG–5. Sauvie Island School is a charter school extending through grade 8, meaning families who enroll there can keep their child in one building through middle school rather than navigating a transition. The two campuses sit 15.1 miles apart — not a trivial commute — making the choice less about which school is "better" and more about which model fits a family's specific geography, values, and long-term planning horizon.