Public schools in Pendleton, OR
9 open public schools with an address in Pendleton, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
9
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
3,008
9 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
16.5:1
Oregon median 17.1:1
Charter schools
1
1 virtual
An overview of Pendleton public schools
The federal directory lists 9 public schools in Pendleton, OR: 4 elementary, 1 middle, 3 high, 1 combined or other. The 9 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 3,008 students, an average of 334 per school. The largest campus is Pendleton High School (763 students), and the largest elementary school is Sherwood Heights Elementary School (439).
Pendleton SD 16 operates the most schools here (8), plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 16.5:1, similar to the statewide school median of 17.1:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 1 charter school, 1 virtual school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 4 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 1 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 1 of 4 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 87% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Pendleton
Elementary schools in Pendleton
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McKay Creek Elementary School Pendleton SD 16 | KG–05 | 265 | 18.4:1 | |
| Pendleton Early Learning Center Pendleton SD 16 | PK–KG | 197 | 13.9:1 | |
| Sherwood Heights Elementary School Pendleton SD 16 | KG–05 | 439 | 16.3:1 | |
| Washington Elementary School Pendleton SD 16 | KG–05 | 420 | 16.5:1 |
Middle schools in Pendleton
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunridge Middle School Pendleton SD 16 | 06–08 | 672 | 20:1 |
High schools in Pendleton
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawthorne Alternative High School Pendleton SD 16 · Alternative School | 09–12 | 56 | 31.1:1 | |
| Nixyaawii Community School Pendleton SD 16 · Charter | 09–12 | 89 | 12.5:1 | |
| Pendleton High School Pendleton SD 16 | 09–12 | 763 | 19.7:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Pendleton
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| InterMountain Virtual Learning Academy InterMountain ESD · Virtual | KG–12 | 107 | 9.7:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White62.9%
- Hispanic14.9%
- Black0.8%
- Asian0.7%
- American Indian / Alaska Native10.8%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial9.4%
Enrollment-weighted across 9 Pendleton schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (3,008 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Pendleton
How many public schools are in Pendleton, OR?
The current NCES directory lists 9 open public schools with a location address in Pendleton: 4 elementary, 1 middle, 3 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 3,008 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Pendleton?
Schools with an address in Pendleton belong to 2 education agencies, led by Pendleton SD 16 (8 schools), InterMountain ESD (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Pendleton?
Pendleton High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Pendleton, with 763 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Pendleton?
Yes. 1 of the 9 public schools in Pendleton are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Nixyaawii Community School. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Pendleton schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Pendleton public schools is 16.5:1, similar to the Oregon school median of 17.1:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Pendleton guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Oregon cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Oregon cities