Best Middle Schools in Multnomah County, Oregon

Part of our Best Schools in Multnomah County guide.

Introduction

Multnomah County is home to some of the most academically strong public middle schools in Oregon, and if you're a parent trying to navigate the options in the Portland area, you're in the right place. From specialized magnet programs to neighborhood schools with a devoted community following, the county punches well above its weight when it comes to middle school education.

What's striking about the top schools on this list is how consistently high they perform — several rank at the 90th percentile or above statewide, which is genuinely impressive in a competitive urban district like Portland SD 1J. Whether you're moving to the area, considering a school transfer, or just trying to understand how your local school stacks up, this guide breaks down the ten best middle schools in Multnomah County and what makes each one worth a closer look.

1. Winterhaven School — Portland SD 1J, Portland

Winterhaven is about as close to a perfect score as you'll find in Oregon public education. Ranking at the 100th percentile in both English and Math statewide, this K–8 magnet school in the Foster-Powell neighborhood has built a reputation as one of the premier academic programs in the entire state. Winterhaven has a strong emphasis on project-based learning with a math and science focus, which tends to attract families who want rigorous academics in a public school setting without the price tag of private education. Because it's a magnet school, enrollment is open to students across Portland — so if you're anywhere in the city and your child is academically motivated, it's absolutely worth applying.

2. Beverly Cleary School — Portland SD 1J, Portland

Named after Portland's beloved children's author, Beverly Cleary School sits in the charming Grant Park neighborhood on the northeast side of the city — one of Portland's most walkable and family-friendly areas. Like Winterhaven, it scores at the 100th percentile in both English and Math, making it one of the top-performing schools in Oregon by any measure. The school serves students through 8th grade and has long been a draw for families in the Irvington and Beaumont-Wilshire neighborhoods who want an exceptional neighborhood school experience. Expect an engaged parent community, tree-lined streets, and easy access to Grant Park itself.

3. Sellwood Middle School — Portland SD 1J, Portland

Sellwood Middle School is a standout performer in one of Portland's most beloved neighborhoods. Scoring at the 96th percentile in English and 97th in Math — good for an overall 97th percentile ranking — Sellwood consistently competes with the best schools in the county. The Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood has a small-town feel that's rare for a city of Portland's size: indie coffee shops, the Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge nearby, and a tight-knit community that tends to show up for its schools. Families who prioritize both strong academics and a genuine neighborhood school atmosphere will feel right at home here.

4. Mt Tabor Middle School — Portland SD 1J, Portland

Tucked into the southeast Portland neighborhood that shares its name with the iconic volcanic butte in the heart of the city, Mt Tabor Middle School delivers consistently strong results — 94th percentile in English and 96th in Math, for an overall 95th percentile ranking. It's a school that tends to attract families who have planted roots in the diverse, eclectic SE Portland community, where bungalows, farmers markets, and a strong sense of neighborhood identity are all part of the package. Academic performance here is among the best in the district, and the school benefits from a community that values education as part of its broader culture.

5. Gray Middle School — Portland SD 1J, Portland

Gray Middle School earns its spot in the top five with a 97th percentile English score and 92nd percentile in Math, landing at an overall 95th percentile — tied with Mt Tabor but with a notably strong English showing. Located in Portland's southwest, Gray serves a part of the city that often flies under the radar compared to the trendier east side neighborhoods, but has quietly built a reputation for academic excellence. It's a good fit for families in the SW Hills and surrounding areas who want a high-performing neighborhood school with a more suburban feel than much of Portland offers.

Score Trends — Top 5

Winterhaven School continues to lead the district with strong gains across both subjects, as English scores rose from 82 to 88 and Math improved from 84 to 87—making it the clear standout performer this year. Beverly Cleary School is also moving in the right direction with English climbing 3 points to 78, though Math dipped slightly from 72 to 71, suggesting their focus should remain on strengthening numeracy skills. Sellwood Middle School showed balanced improvement with English up 3 points to 71 and Math jumping 4 points to 66, indicating solid progress across the board. Mt. Tabor Middle School had mixed results: while English slipped 3 points to 68, Math gained 2 points to reach 63, so they're holding relatively steady overall. Gray Middle School remains a concern with English declining to 71 and Math barely moving to 57, showing they need more intensive support strategies in both areas.

6. Jackson Middle School — Portland SD 1J, Portland

Jackson Middle School rounds out the top six with a solid 94th percentile in English and 93rd in Math, for an overall ranking at the 93rd percentile statewide. Situated in Portland, Jackson draws from a broad swath of the city and has developed a reputation as a school with strong academics and an engaged student body. It's the kind of school that tends to appeal to families who want dependable, high-quality public education without necessarily needing the prestige of a magnet program. The staff community here has worked hard to build a culture of achievement that shows up clearly in the numbers.

7. Beaumont Middle School — Portland SD 1J, Portland

Beaumont Middle School is located in the Beaumont-Wilshire neighborhood of northeast Portland — a leafy, residential area with a strong sense of community and some of the city's most charming early-20th-century homes. Scoring at the 90th percentile in English and 95th in Math, with an overall ranking of 92nd percentile, Beaumont is a legitimately excellent school that often gets overlooked in conversations dominated by magnet programs. Families who live in the neighborhood tend to be deeply invested in the school, which creates a collaborative atmosphere between parents, staff, and students that makes a real difference.

8. Hosford Middle School — Portland SD 1J, Portland

Hosford Middle School, located in the Woodstock area of inner southeast Portland, scores at the 92nd percentile in English and 89th in Math for an overall 90th percentile ranking — putting it firmly in the top tier of middle schools in the county. SE Portland has long been known for its progressive, community-oriented culture, and Hosford reflects that spirit while still delivering strong academic outcomes. It's a school that tends to resonate with families who want their kids in a diverse, intellectually curious environment that feels grounded in the neighborhood rather than disconnected from it.

9. Sunnyside Environmental School — Portland SD 1J, Portland

Sunnyside Environmental School is one of Portland's more distinctive public school offerings — a K–8 program with a focus on environmental education that attracts families who want academics woven together with real-world, place-based learning. It scores at the 88th percentile in English and 90th in Math, for an overall 90th percentile ranking, which is genuinely impressive for a school with such a specialized approach. Located in the Richmond neighborhood of SE Portland, Sunnyside draws students from across the city who are drawn to its hands-on, sustainability-focused curriculum. If your family is passionate about the natural world and wants that reflected in your child's education, this school is hard to beat.

10. Metropolitan Learning Center — Portland SD 1J, Portland

Metropolitan Learning Center — known locally as MLC — is a K–12 option school in Northwest Portland that rounds out our top ten with an 84th percentile English score and 86th in Math, for an overall 85th percentile ranking. MLC has a long history as one of Portland's more progressive and student-centered learning environments, built around student choice, multi-age classrooms, and a strong sense of community ownership over the educational experience. It's not the right fit for every family, but for those who are looking for something genuinely different from a traditional school structure — and who are willing to be actively involved in that community — MLC has a devoted following for good reason.

Score Trends — #6-10

Jackson Middle School improved English by 3 points to 67 but saw Math drop 2 points to 56, suggesting their English programs are working better than their Math instruction right now. Beaumont Middle School is a real success story, with English jumping 5 points to 65 and Math surging 7 points to 61—their gains show what focused intervention can achieve at the middle school level. Hosford Middle School had the most dramatic turnaround in this group, with English soaring 12 points to 66 and Math climbing 7 points to 51, making them one of the district's most improved schools. Sunnyside Environmental School made modest but steady gains, moving English to 61 and Math to 53, showing consistent incremental progress. Metropolitan Learning Center faced headwinds with English declining 4 points to 58, though Math edged up 2 points to 45, signaling that this school may need additional resources and support.

How We Rank Schools

Our school rankings are based on statewide assessment data, with English scores weighted at 40%, Math scores at 40%, and Science scores at 20%. We also weight more recent years more heavily than older data, so the rankings reflect where schools are now — not just where they were a few years ago. The goal is to give parents a clear, honest snapshot of academic performance relative to other schools across Oregon, without oversimplifying what makes a school a good fit for any given family.

Compare Schools Yourself

Numbers only tell part of the story. If you want to dig deeper and compare any of these schools side by side — or stack them up against schools in other parts of the county — head over to our school comparison tool at /compare. You can look at performance across subjects, see how schools have changed over time, and get a clearer picture of which school might be the right fit for your child.

Top 32 Rankings

Rank	School	District	City	English	Math	Overall
1	Winterhaven School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	100	100	100
2	Beverly Cleary School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	100	100	100
3	Sellwood Middle School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	96	97	97
4	Mt Tabor Middle School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	94	96	95
5	Gray Middle School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	97	92	95
6	Jackson Middle School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	94	93	93
7	Beaumont Middle School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	90	95	92
8	Hosford Middle School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	92	89	90
9	Sunnyside Environmental School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	88	90	90
10	Metropolitan Learning Center	Portland SD 1J	Portland	84	86	85
11	da Vinci Middle School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	88	75	83
12	Harrison Park School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	69	77	73
13	Harriet Tubman Middle School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	59	81	71
14	Kellogg Middle School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	61	72	68
15	Alice Ott Middle School	David Douglas SD 40	Portland	51	47	51
16	Floyd Light Middle School	David Douglas SD 40	Portland	41	59	50
17	Ockley Green Middle School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	36	60	49
18	Roseway Heights School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	40	49	45
19	Walt Morey Middle School	Reynolds SD 7	Troutdale	48	36	40
20	West Orient Middle School	Gresham-Barlow SD 10J	Gresham	35	37	35
21	Dexter McCarty Middle School	Gresham-Barlow SD 10J	Gresham	41	26	32
22	Centennial Middle School	Centennial SD 28J	Portland	35	30	31
23	Lane Middle School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	20	32	25
24	Ron Russell Middle School	David Douglas SD 40	Portland	22	29	23
25	Multnomah Learning Academy	Reynolds SD 7	Fairview	23	20	20
26	Parkrose Middle School	Parkrose SD 3	Portland	15	11	12
27	George Middle School	Portland SD 1J	Portland	10	10	10
28	Gordon Russell Middle School	Gresham-Barlow SD 10J	Gresham	8	9	8
29	Oliver Middle	Centennial SD 28J	Portland	6	3	4
30	Clear Creek Middle School	Gresham-Barlow SD 10J	Gresham	3	4	4
31	Hauton B Lee Middle School	Reynolds SD 7	Portland	3	1	2
32	Reynolds Middle School	Reynolds SD 7	Fairview	2	0	1

Related Guides

• Best Schools in Multnomah County, Oregon
• Best High Schools in Multnomah County, Oregon