Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregon’s latest round of educational ratings show fewer schools at the top levels. Rob Manning reports.

Oregon’s tenth-annual statewide report card has some of the most disappointing results in years. 

The number of schools with the highest rating of “exceptional,” and the second-highest rating of “strong” dropped by a total of more than 70 schools.

For the first time since 2004, there are more schools with the average rating of “satisfactory” than exceptional and strong schools combined.

The number of the lowest rated schools stayed flat.

Education officials say the change in ratings is based largely on a drop in test scores at middle and high schools.

The statewide report card is one of three reports in a potentially confusing mix of school benchmarks.

Oregon education officials plan to better align next year’s state report card with federal ratings.

They say that may result in more schools appearing in what will be the lowest category.

Those schools will be labeled “in need of improvement.”