Ridgewood Elementary School vs Creston Elementary School

Creston Elementary School ranks #4 of 1,226 schools in Oregon, placing it among the state's top performers, while Ridgewood Elementary School sits at #90 — still an impressive result but a significant distance behind. That gap translates to an overall rating difference of 1.0 point, with Creston scoring 9.6/10 against Ridgewood's 8.6/10. Both schools are strong by any statewide measure, but families prioritizing the absolute highest-ranked option in Portland will find Creston's position hard to match.

Academically, the two schools are identical: both Ridgewood Elementary School and Creston Elementary School earn a 9.8/10 academic score, meaning neither holds an edge on raw proficiency. The separation appears in growth. Creston's growth score is 9.7/10 compared to Ridgewood's 8.5/10 — a 1.2-point gap that reflects how much additional learning progress students make year over year relative to peers with similar starting points. For parents focused on whether a school accelerates students beyond expectations rather than simply meeting them, Creston's growth advantage is the more meaningful number.

The two schools diverge sharply on demographics. Ridgewood enrolls 378 students versus Creston's 238, making Ridgewood the larger campus by 59 percent. Ridgewood's student-teacher ratio is 17.2:1 compared to Creston's 15.9:1, giving Creston classes roughly one fewer student per teacher on average. The most pronounced difference is economic: Ridgewood's free and reduced-price lunch rate is 25 percent, while Creston's is 78 percent. Creston's high growth score alongside a high-needs population is a meaningful signal — it suggests the school is delivering strong instructional gains for students who historically face the steepest barriers.

Both schools serve kindergarten through fifth grade, so grade-span is not a differentiating factor for families. The 8.0 miles separating them within Portland means neighborhood proximity is likely the practical first filter for most parents. For families within range of either campus, the core trade-off is a slightly larger school with a lower-poverty enrollment at Ridgewood versus a smaller, higher-needs campus at Creston that outperforms on growth and claims a top-five state rank.