Washington Elementary School

Washington Elementary School is one of the mid-tier K-5 schools in Pendleton, Oregon, part of Pendleton SD 16, with 420 students on its rolls from grades K through 5. Compared to the state average of about 321 students per school, that is 31% above typical.

Pendleton SD 16 runs 8 schools in total, collectively educating 2,901 students. Washington Elementary School is one of those campuses.

On demographics, Washington Elementary School lists that the most-represented group is White (50%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups. The remainder is composed of 21% Native American, 19% Hispanic, 10% multiracial. By comparison, Umatilla County as a whole is about 67% White, so the school skews visibly less White than its surroundings.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Staff filings list 26 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 16.5:1 students per teacher. That tracks the state average closely. About 83% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Washington Elementary School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 30.3% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 29.4%.

Across the wider county, community-level numbers for Umatilla County indicate median household income runs about $67,728, 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 10% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Umatilla County runs 35 public schools (combined enrollment of about 13,143 students), of which Washington Elementary School is one.

Nearest neighbor: Pendleton Early Learning Center, around 1.4 miles off. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Washington Elementary School at 2nd of 5; the average score across the group is 29.5%.

The campus sits in a small-town setting.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count shrank 4%: 438 students in 2018 compared to 420 in 2025. The Hispanic share of enrollment rose from 14% to 19% over that span. Class-load math has narrowed: from 19.5:1 in 2018 to 16.5:1 in 2025.

Inside the community feed, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.