Introduction

Multnomah County is home to some of the most academically accomplished elementary schools in Oregon — and if you're a parent doing your homework before a move or enrollment decision, you've come to the right place. The schools on this list represent the top performers across the county based on standardized test scores in English and Math, and several of them rank in the 99th or even 100th percentile statewide.

What's striking about this list is how many of these schools are clustered in Portland's southwest hills, inner southeast, and northeast neighborhoods — areas that tend to attract families who prioritize education and are deeply involved in their school communities. Whether you're drawn to a language immersion experience, a tight-knit neighborhood school, or simply the best academic outcomes you can find, Multnomah County has a lot to offer. Here are the ten elementary schools that rose to the top.

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1. Le Monde French Immersion Public Charter School — Portland SD 1J, Portland

Le Monde is genuinely one of a kind in Oregon — a public charter school where students learn in French from the earliest grades, building bilingual fluency alongside rigorous academics. It ranks at the 100th percentile statewide in both English and Overall performance, which is a remarkable achievement for any school, let alone one running a dual-language model. Families who choose Le Monde tend to be intentional and engaged — people who want something beyond the standard curriculum and are excited about raising globally minded kids in the heart of Portland.

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2. Rieke Elementary School — Portland SD 1J, Portland

Tucked into the quiet, tree-lined streets of Southwest Portland's Hillsdale neighborhood, Rieke Elementary is the kind of school that quietly earns its reputation year after year. It scores at the 99th percentile in both English and Math, placing it among the very best traditional neighborhood elementary schools in the state. Families here tend to be deeply rooted in the community, and the school has a reputation for strong parent involvement and a warm, collaborative culture that complements its impressive academic outcomes.

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3. Riverdale Grade School — Riverdale SD 51J, Portland

Riverdale Grade School sits within one of the smallest and most academically focused school districts in Oregon — the Riverdale School District serves a compact, affluent community along the Willamette River in Southwest Portland, and it shows in the results. Riverdale scores at the 100th percentile in English and the 98th in Math, with an Overall ranking in the 99th percentile. If you're looking at homes in the Dunthorpe or Riverdale area, the quality of this school is almost certainly part of the conversation — and for good reason.

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4. Alameda Elementary School — Portland SD 1J, Portland

Alameda Elementary is a beloved institution in one of Northeast Portland's most desirable neighborhoods, where craftsman bungalows and tree-canopied streets set the tone for a community that takes pride in its schools. It ranks at the 99th percentile in both English and Math, making it one of the strongest neighborhood elementary schools in Portland proper. The school has a loyal following among families in the Alameda and Beaumont-Wilshire neighborhoods, and its combination of academic excellence and neighborhood charm makes it a perennial favorite for parents putting down roots in NE Portland.

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5. Abernethy Elementary School — Portland SD 1J, Portland

Abernethy Elementary anchors a close-knit corner of Southeast Portland's Richmond neighborhood, an area known for its walkability, independent businesses, and strong sense of community. The school ranks at the 99th percentile in both English and Math, which puts it squarely in the company of the best elementary schools in the state. It tends to appeal to families who want excellent academics without leaving the urban fabric of Portland — the kind of place where kids walk to school and parents actually know each other.

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Score Trends — Top 5

Le Monde French Immersion and Rieke Elementary are leading the pack with solid improvements across both subjects. Le Monde's math scores showed the most impressive jump in this group, rising from 75 to 85—a remarkable 10-point gain—while English climbed a steady 3 points to 86. Rieke maintained consistent progress with modest 2-point increases in both English (83 to 85) and math (81 to 83), demonstrating balanced growth. Riverdale Grade School continued its strength in English, moving from 86 to 87, and made a significant push in math with a 7-point improvement from 73 to 80. Overall, these top five schools are all moving in the right direction, with math emerging as a particular strength across the group.

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6. Forest Park Elementary School — Portland SD 1J, Portland

As the name suggests, Forest Park Elementary is nestled in the lush, wooded Northwest Portland neighborhood adjacent to one of the largest urban forests in the United States. The school scores at the 99th percentile in English and Math, with an Overall ranking in the 98th percentile — a strong performer by any measure. Families here tend to love the combination of excellent academics and an environment where nature is literally right outside the door, making it a natural fit for outdoorsy, education-focused households.

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7. Stephenson Elementary School — Portland SD 1J, Portland

Stephenson Elementary is a standout in Portland's Far Southwest, serving a neighborhood that feels more suburban than much of the city — think quieter streets, more space, and a strong sense of local pride. It ranks at the 98th percentile in both English and Math, placing it comfortably among Oregon's top elementary schools. Families who want top-tier academics within Portland city limits but prefer a less urban setting often find Stephenson to be exactly what they're looking for.

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8. Ainsworth Elementary School — Portland SD 1J, Portland

Ainsworth Elementary sits in the heart of Southwest Portland's Council Crest and Vermont Hills area, a neighborhood defined by its elevation, its views, and its quiet residential character. The school scores at the 98th percentile in both English and Math, reflecting a community that consistently shows up for its students. It has the feel of a small, cohesive school community where staff and families know each other well — a quality that's harder to find than any test score can capture.

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9. Llewellyn Elementary School — Portland SD 1J, Portland

Llewellyn Elementary is a gem in Southeast Portland's Eastmoreland neighborhood, one of the city's most historically established and architecturally distinctive residential areas. It ranks at the 97th percentile in English and the 98th in Math, with an Overall score in the 98th percentile — numbers that reflect a school with consistent academic strength across the board. The surrounding neighborhood, with its proximity to Reed College and the Eastmoreland Golf Course, has long attracted families who value education, and Llewellyn is a big part of why they stay.

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10. Bridlemile Elementary School — Portland SD 1J, Portland

Bridlemile Elementary rounds out this list as another strong representative of Southwest Portland's impressive concentration of high-performing schools. It scores at the 97th percentile in English and the 97th in Math, landing at the 98th percentile Overall — a school that consistently punches at the top of the state rankings. Families in the Bridlemile neighborhood appreciate the school's academic focus and its tight community feel, and it's a natural consideration for anyone looking at homes in the SW hills corridor.

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Score Trends — #6-10

Schools 6 through 10 show a more mixed picture, with three schools gaining traction while two experienced setbacks. Alameda Elementary led this group with an impressive 5-point English boost (79 to 84) plus 3-point math gains, while Forest Park matched that English performance, climbing from 80 to 84, though math held steady at 78. Abernethy Elementary faced a concerning 3-point math decline to 77 despite a 1-point English gain, and Stephenson saw English scores dip 2 points to 78, though math improved by 4 points. Meanwhile, Ainsworth and Llewellyn both showed resilience with math improvements of 4 and 5 points respectively, even as their English scores declined slightly—a pattern suggesting these schools are successfully redirecting focus to mathematics instruction.

How We Rank Schools

The School Advocate ranks elementary schools using state standardized test score data across three subjects. English accounts for 40% of a school's Overall score, Math accounts for another 40%, and Science makes up the remaining 20%. We weight more recent school years more heavily than older data, so the rankings reflect where a school stands today — not just where it was several years ago. Percentile scores tell you how a school compares to all other elementary schools in Oregon, with the 99th percentile meaning the school outperforms 99% of schools statewide.

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Compare Schools Yourself

Numbers only tell part of the story, and every family's priorities are different. If you want to dig deeper and put these schools side by side — whether you're comparing two neighborhoods or trying to decide between a charter and a traditional public school — head over to our school comparison tool at /compare. You can pull up any schools in Oregon and see how they stack up across all the metrics we track.

Top 50 Rankings

Rank	School	District	City	English	Math	Overall
1	Le Monde French Immersion Public Charter School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	100	99	100
2	Rieke Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	99	99	99
3	Riverdale Grade School	Riverdale SD 51J	Portland	100	98	99
4	Alameda Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	99	99	99
5	Abernethy Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	99	99	99
6	Forest Park Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	99	99	98
7	Stephenson Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	98	98	98
8	Ainsworth Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	98	98	98
9	Llewellyn Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	97	98	98
10	Bridlemile Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	97	97	98
11	Laurelhurst Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	98	96	97
12	Glencoe Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	96	97	97
13	Richmond Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	96	96	96
14	Duniway Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	92	96	95
15	Skyline Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	96	92	93
16	Hayhurst Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	91	92	92
17	Capitol Hill Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	90	91	91
18	Lewis Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	91	89	91
19	Creston Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	88	92	90
20	Sauvie Island School	Scappoose SD 1J	Portland	87	91	90
21	Maplewood Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	85	91	89
22	Sabin Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	88	88	88
23	Woodstock Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	86	89	88
24	Irvington Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	87	87	88
25	Portland Arthur Academy Charter School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	92	83	87
26	Gresham Arthur Academy	Gresham-Barlow SD 10J	Gresham	94	79	87
27	Emerson School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	88	85	86
28	Chief Joseph Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	85	85	85
29	Atkinson Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	84	86	85
30	Markham Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	80	84	82
31	Rose City Park	Portland SD 1J	Portland	75	87	82
32	Grout Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	77	83	81
33	Vernon Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	77	82	80
34	Beach Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	76	82	80
35	The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science	Oregon Department of Education	Portland	85	72	80
36	Arthur Academy	David Douglas SD 40	Portland	83	71	78
37	Astor Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	75	77	77
38	Woodlawn Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	68	81	76
39	Buckman Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	76	74	76
40	Deep Creek – Damascus K-8 School	Gresham-Barlow SD 10J		72	75	73
41	East Orient Elementary School	Gresham-Barlow SD 10J	Gresham	76	69	73
42	Arleta Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	67	77	73
43	Bridger Creative Science School	Portland SD 1J		76	68	72
44	Portland Village School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	69	72	71
45	Cherry Park Elementary School	David Douglas SD 40	Portland	66	70	68
46	The Ivy School	Oregon Department of Education	Portland	83	50	66
47	Peninsula Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	70	57	64
48	Chapman Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	63	64	64
49	Lee Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	58	63	61
50	Lent Elementary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	58	57	58