Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School vs Markham Elementary School
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School and Markham Elementary School are very closely rated, both scoring around 9.1 out of 10. In math proficiency, Markham Elementary School leads at 47.0%.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School
Portland, OR
305 students
Markham Elementary School
Portland, OR
402 students
Ratings Comparison
| Metric | Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School | Markham Elementary School |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 9.1 / 10 | 9.3 / 10 |
| Academic Score | 7.4 | 9.4 |
| Growth Score | 9.9 | 9.4 |
| Diversity Index | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 72.8% | 64.4% |
| Environment Score | 9.6 | 8.9 |
| State Rank | #34 of 1,226 | #23 of 1,226 |
| State Percentile | 97th | 98th |
Test Scores
| Subject | Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School | Markham Elementary School |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 7.5% | 47.0% |
| Math (State Avg) | — | — |
| ELA Proficiency | 22.0% | 60.0% |
| ELA (State Avg) | — | — |
School Details
| Detail | Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School | Markham Elementary School |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Elementary School | Elementary School |
| Grades | Pre-K – 5th | Kindergarten – 5th |
| Enrollment | 305 | 402 |
| Student-Teacher Ratio | 13.9:1 | 16.1:1 |
| Per-Pupil Spending | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 72.8% | 64.4% |
| Chronic Absenteeism | — | — |
| District | Portland SD 1J | Portland SD 1J |
| City | Portland | Portland |
Neighborhood
| Metric | Portland (97211) | Portland (97219) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $109,604 | $115,525 |
| Median Home Value | $616,800 | $651,600 |
| Median Rent | $1,818 | $1,603 |
| College Educated (Bachelor's+) | 56.4% | 66.1% |
| Poverty Rate | 9.5% | 6.7% |
| Avg Commute | 23 min | 23 min |
The data story: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School vs Markham Elementary School
Markham Elementary School ranks #23 of 1,226 Oregon schools, placing it 11 spots ahead of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School, which sits at #34 — both well inside the top 3% statewide. The overall rating gap is narrow: Markham holds a 9.3/10 against Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School's 9.1/10, a 0.2-point difference that masks more significant divergences underneath.
The academic scores tell a sharper story. Markham Elementary School scores 9.4/10 on academics versus Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School's 7.4/10 — a 2.0-point gap that reflects meaningfully higher tested proficiency. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School answers with a 9.9/10 growth score, outpacing Markham's 9.4/10. That near-perfect growth rating signals that students at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School are advancing faster relative to their starting points, even where absolute proficiency trails. Families weighing grade-level mastery against trajectory will read these two numbers differently depending on where their child enters.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School enrolls 305 students against Markham's 402, and its student-teacher ratio of 13.9:1 is tighter than Markham's 16.1:1 — roughly two fewer students per teacher. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School also serves a higher share of economically disadvantaged students, with 73% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch compared to 64% at Markham. Both figures indicate schools where substantial portions of families face resource constraints, but Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School's higher FRL rate combined with its exceptional growth score suggests effective support for students who arrive with greater needs.
One structural difference: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School begins at Pre-K, giving families an entry point a full year before Markham Elementary School, which starts at kindergarten. The two campuses sit 8.2 miles apart within Portland, meaning neither serves as a strict neighborhood fallback for the other — families choosing between them are making a deliberate cross-city decision.
Editorial summary generated April 2026 · sonnet
Who each school fits
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School suits families who prioritize Pre-K access, a lower student-teacher ratio of 13.9:1, and demonstrated acceleration — its 9.9/10 growth score is exceptional for students who may be behind grade level and need a school that moves them forward fast, not just one that starts high.
Markham Elementary School
Markham Elementary School suits families who prioritize absolute academic proficiency — its 9.4/10 academic score runs 2.0 points ahead of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School — and whose kindergarten-age child is ready to enter a slightly larger, higher-performing-on-paper environment ranked #23 in Oregon.