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McDermitt School District

McDermitt School District 51, which does not operate any schools, sends all of its students to McDermitt Combined School, operated by the Humboldt County School District

McDermitt School District No. 51, also known as Malheur County School District 51,[1] is a school district in Malheur County, Oregon. The district's official address is that of the Malheur Education Service District, located in Vale, Oregon.[2][3]

A district with no employees, it sends all of its students to McDermitt Combined School in McDermitt, Nevada and Oregon, a school operated by the Humboldt County School District. Circa 2022, around 80% of the McDermitt district's 64 residents are in the ranching industry.[4] The McDermitt district gives money to the Humboldt County district.[5]

Circa 2006, 16 students, of all grade levels, lived in the district. In 2006 the district possessed a school building that was no longer used.[6] About 33% of Malheur County in the southern part goes to McDermitt.[7] As of 1965 the district's territory had more than 2,815 square miles (7,290 km2) of area. This was almost the sum of the sizes of Delaware and Rhode Island together.[8] In 1965, it was the largest school district in the state by area.[9] In 1965, it was the only school district in the state that did not operate any schools itself, but sent students to other schools, something known as a "suspended district".[10] The Associated Press stated in 1962 that the McDermitt district contracted out its students because not enough students lived in the area to have a viable school.[11]

The nearest elementary school entirely on the Oregon side is in Arock and the nearest high school entirely on the Oregon side is in Jordan Valley.[8] The respective distances of these schools from McDermitt, Oregon are 75 miles (121 km) and more than 100 miles (160 km), respectively.[12]

History

In 1960 the district was sending all of its students to the Nevada school, something confirmed by the Oregon State Board of Education. At the time, 15 school aged children were in that district, attending the Nevada school.[13] The board renewed the arrangement in 1962.[11]

In 1965, the district had 21 elementary school students and five high school students.[10] That year, the Oregon State Board of Education proposed that this school district merge with another school district in the state, prompting opposition.[8] The Oregon State Board of Education ruled in 1965 that the McDermitt district either had to operate its own school, or merge into another school district.[10] Later that year, the Oregon State Board of Education changed its mind, and the district remained a suspended district.[12]

As of 2025 the school district exists without operating its own schools and sending its students to Nevada.

References

  1. ^ "Notice of Budget Hearing 2022 (FORM OR-ED 1)" (Document). McDermitt School District. Malheur Co SD #51[...]malesd.org/McDermitt - Linked from here, retrieved on March 22, 2025
  2. ^ "Malheur County SD 51". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 2025-03-22. 363 A St W Vale OR, 97918 –1305
  3. ^ "Schools We Serve". Malheur Education Service District. Retrieved 2025-03-22. McDermitt School District No. 51 [...] c/o MESD / 363 A Street W Vale, OR 97914
  4. ^ "McDermitt". Vale, Oregon: Malheur Education Service District. Retrieved July 15, 2022. - Linked from "Schools We Serve"
  5. ^ Myers, Donald P. (1978-08-28). "Desert town turns back on Oregon". Oregon Journal. pp. 1-2 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "McDermitt School District". Malheur County Schools. September 3, 2006. Archived from the original on September 3, 2006. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  7. ^ LaLande, Jeff (2005). "Challenges Ahead". High Desert History: Southeastern Oregon. Oregon Historical Society. Retrieved March 11, 2024. The relatively few schoolchildren who[...] - Updated in 2014.
  8. ^ a b c Guernsey, John (1965-03-17). "School District Fights Merger Plan". The Oregonian. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Wright, Tom (1961-03-30). "Space Subjects Join Three R's". Statesman Journal. pp. 1, 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ a b c Guernsey, John (1965-03-02). "State Education Board Reaffirms Support Of School Fund Bill Despite Portland Plea". The Oregonian. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ a b "Boundaries Are Set For Local Colleges". The News-Review. Associated Press. 1962-03-08. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ a b "State Slates June 3 For Jr. College Vote". The Oregonian. Associated Press. 1965-04-22. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "15 Malheur Pupils Stay in Nevada School". Statesman Journal. 1960-02-20. p. Section 1 page 6 – via Newspapers.com.

Further reading

  • McDermitt - Malheur Education Service District