One of Ashland’s greatest treasures is its public school system. Ashland schools consistently score above the national average on state and national assessments and other measures of student achievement. Ashland High School has earned Silver Medals from US News and World Report in 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013, and 2014 which ranks it in the top 10% of all high schools in the United States. The graduating class of 2014 sent 85% of its graduates on to two and four year colleges. This information points out what Ashlanders already know - quality schools enhance the strength of the community.
Three elementary schools, Bellview, Helman, and Walker, serve students in grades K-5. An average class size of 25 combined with outstanding teachers result in student success. Music and PE specialists, reading teachers, and Child Development Specialists provide additional support to ensure that students reach their highest potential.
John Muir is a K-8 magnet school that serves the entire school district. It has an emphasis on environmental science and art to teach the core curriculum.
Willow Wind Community Learning Center is an alternative program that supports families that home school their children and also offers a full-time alternative program known as Parents as Partners that tailors the educational day to the needs of families.
Ashland Middle School serves students in grades 6-8. Small independent teaching teams are organized around the needs of emerging adolescent students. Teachers meet daily to discuss the academic program and student progress, ensuring that all students are well known and encouraged to achieve at a high level.
Ashland High School serves students in grades 9-12. Fully accredited by AdvancED. AHS students excel in academics, athletics, and the arts. AHS provides a full range of academic and elective classes to ensure the well-rounded development of each student. Ashland High has a drop-out rate of under 2%, and is consistently ranked at the top of all Oregon high schools.
The District’s Open Enrollment Policy allows families from across the Rogue Valley to attend Ashland Schools, regardless of their resident school district. Open Enrollment registration occurs only in March of the previous school year.
The Youth Activities and Academics Levy is a local option levy passed by the residents of Ashland. This important funding source allows Ashland Schools District to fund both extra-curricular and athletic programs, along with supporting academics. Our generous community ensures that Ashland students have access to high quality education above the funding available from the State of Oregon.
We are enriched by the many volunteers and community partnerships in our schools. Asante Ashland Community Hospital provides school nurses in our middle and elementary schools, and Rogue Community Health operates a School Based Health Center at AHS. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival partners with the high school drama department, resulting in high quality theater and musical productions. The SMART program and a local Rotary Club make sure that elementary school students have support in mastering reading. These are just a few examples of how our community supports our schools.
Ashland Schools Foundation
The mission of the Ashland Schools Foundation (ASF) is to support quality education in Ashland public schools through fundraising in the community. ASF is an independent, non-profit, public benefit corporation, organized in 1989 exclusively for educational and charitable purposes. The committed volunteers at ASF work in our community to raise much needed funds to support the academic operations of the school district. ASF also funds classroom based grants to support enrichment activities across the curriculum.
Ashland and the Rogue Valley have several private and alternative schools:
