Peninsula Elementary School vs Portland Arthur Academy Charter School

Peninsula Elementary School and Portland Arthur Academy Charter School sit just 7.1 miles apart in Portland, Oregon, and their overall ratings are nearly identical — 9.2 and 9.1 out of 10 respectively. Both rank in the top 40 of Oregon's 1,226 elementary schools, with Peninsula at #29 and Portland Arthur Academy at #39. That razor-thin gap at the top masks meaningful differences underneath.

The academic profile diverges sharply. Portland Arthur Academy Charter School posts a 9.3/10 academic score, 1.1 points ahead of Peninsula Elementary School's 8.2. Peninsula closes that gap with a standout growth score of 9.9/10 — a full point above Portland Arthur Academy's 9.0. In practical terms, Peninsula's students are advancing at an exceptional rate relative to their starting points, while Portland Arthur Academy's students are performing at a higher absolute academic level right now.

The two schools serve notably different populations. Peninsula Elementary School enrolls 234 students with 64% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Portland Arthur Academy Charter School has 164 students and a 30% free/reduced lunch rate — a 34-percentage-point difference that reflects distinct neighborhood and family income profiles. Peninsula's student-teacher ratio of 15.6:1 is modestly lower than Portland Arthur Academy's 16.4:1, meaning Peninsula classes run slightly smaller on average despite the larger overall enrollment.

Both schools cover grades KG–05. The structural distinction is school type: Peninsula Elementary School operates as a traditional neighborhood public school, while Portland Arthur Academy Charter School is a charter with a selective enrollment process and no attendance boundary. That difference affects access — Peninsula is available to families in its attendance zone by default, while Portland Arthur Academy requires a deliberate application and lottery.