Creston Elementary School vs Stephenson Elementary School

Creston Elementary School edges Stephenson Elementary School by 0.4 points in overall rating — 9.4 versus 9.0 out of 10 — a gap that reflects real structural differences rather than a statistical tie. In Oregon's statewide rankings, Creston Elementary School lands at #19 of 1,226 schools while Stephenson Elementary School sits at #60 of 1,226, placing both schools comfortably in the top 5% of the state but with Creston holding a meaningful positional lead against a large field.

Academically, the two schools are nearly identical: Stephenson Elementary School scores 9.9/10 versus Creston Elementary School's 9.8/10 — a difference too small to drive a decision either way. Where separation emerges is in student growth: Creston Elementary School's growth score of 9.7/10 outpaces Stephenson Elementary School's 8.9/10 by 0.8 points. Growth scores measure how much students improve relative to academic peers with similar starting points, making that gap a signal that Creston's students are consistently outpacing expectations regardless of where they begin.

The demographic contrast between the two schools is stark. Creston Elementary School enrolls 238 students with 78% qualifying for free or reduced lunch, indicating a substantially higher-need population. Stephenson Elementary School enrolls 310 students with only 12% on free or reduced lunch. The student-teacher ratio compounds this: Creston Elementary School runs 15.9 students per teacher versus Stephenson Elementary School's 20.7:1, meaning Creston students receive meaningfully more individual attention — a 4.8-student-per-teacher advantage that translates directly into classroom time.

Both schools serve kindergarten through fifth grade and sit 5.7 miles apart within Portland. The differences here are not in grade structure or programming breadth but in class size, population served, and growth trajectory. Creston's smaller classes and higher FRL rate alongside a 9.7 growth score suggest a school that is actively outperforming its resource context. Stephenson's near-perfect academic score reflects a well-resourced student body achieving at a high absolute level.