Your monthly support provides voters the knowledge they need to make confident decisions at the polls. Donate today.
Nyssa School District, Oregon, elections
| Nyssa School District |
|---|
 |
| District details |
| School board members: 7 |
| Students: 1,504 (2023-2024) |
| Schools: 4 (2023-2024) |
| Website: Link |
Nyssa School District is a school district in Oregon (Malheur County). During the 2024 school year, 1,504 students attended one of the district's four schools.
This page provides information regarding school board members, election rules, finances, academics, policies, and more details about the district.
Elections
Do you know of an individual or group that endorsed a candidate for a position on this board? Click here to let us know.
Election rules
Election dates and frequency
School board general elections in Oregon are held on the Third Tuesday in May every two years in odd-numbered years.
See law:
Oregon Statutes Chapters 255 and 332
Below are the recent/upcoming dates for all public school districts in the state. There may be exceptions to these dates for specific districts because of local charters and district-specific exceptions and carve-outs.
- Filing deadline date: March 18, 2027
- General election date: May 18, 2027
Election system
School board members in Oregon are elected through nonpartisan general elections without primaries.
See law: Oregon Statutes Section 255.335
Party labels on the ballot
School board elections in Oregon are nonpartisan, which means party labels do not appear on the ballot for school board candidates. Statute governing nonpartisan elections governs the election procedures for school district board member elections and prohibits the inclusion of any information or designations on the ballot other than the names of the candidates.
See law: Oregon Statutes Section 255.335
Winning an election
The school board candidates that receive the largest number of votes in the nonpartisan general election are elected to office.
See law: Oregon Statutes Section 332.124
Term length and staggering
School board members in Oregon have four-year terms.
See law: Oregon Statutes Section 332.018
Oregon Statute states that each district must hold a school board election every two years to elect board members to four-year terms. Most districts elect as close to half of their board members as possible every two years.
See law: Oregon Statute Section 255.335
Representation: at large vs. by sub-district
School board members in Oregon are elected by voters at large, by voters from zones (sub-districts), or through a combination of the two. Nominating petitions for school board candidates can also contain signatures from the district at large, from voters within sub-districts, or through a combination of the two. School board seats can be nominated from zones but elected at large. School board members are nominated and elected according to position numbers for both at-large seats and by-sub-district seats. School board members are elected at large by default. Zones (sub-districts) for nominating petitions can be established through school board resolution or petition and voter approval processes. Once sub-districts for nominating petitions are established, the school board can also vote to establish that positions nominated by voters from sub-districts must also be elected by voters from those sub-districts.
See law: Oregon Statutes Chapter 332
Filing deadlines and swearing-in dates
The deadline for school board candidates to file nominating petitions and declarations of candidacy is 61 days before the May general election in odd-numbered years. This means the school board candidate filing deadline is in mid-March in odd-numbered years. The filing window is 40 days long.
See law: Oregon Statutes Section 255.235
School board candidates cannot file nominating petitions and declarations of candidacy until 40 days before the filing deadline. The filing deadline is 61 days before the May general election, which means the window for candidates to file opens 101 days before the May general election in early February in odd-numbered years.
See law: Oregon Statutes Section 255.235
The term of school board members officially expires on June 30 following the election of their replacements, which means the term of newly elected school board members officially begins on July 1 following their election to office.
See law: Oregon Statutes Section 332.138
Recall elections
- See also: States that allow school board recalls
Recall procedures
| State | Specific grounds required? | Signature requirement | Petition circulation time | When recalls can start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | No | 15% of votes cast in the last gubernatorial election in the jurisdiction | 90 days | Recalls cannot start until an official has been in office for six months |
Recall efforts
2024
An effort to recall three of the seven members of the Nyssa School District board of directors in Oregon did not go to a vote in 2024. The petitions were not submitted to the Malheur County Clerk's Office.[1]
The recall effort began in March 2024. Pat Morinaka, Jeremy Peterson, and Susan Ramos were named in the recall petitions.[2][3]
Peterson resigned from the board on April 8, 2024. He said he resigned due to a new law that required school board members to file a Statement of Economic Interest with the Oregon Government Ethics Commission.[4]
Morinaka joined the board in 2018, Peterson joined in 2019, and Ramos joined in 2021.[2] Morinaka's and Ramos' terms were scheduled to expire on June 30, 2025, and Peterson's term was scheduled to expire on June 30, 2027.[3]
About the district
School board
To find information about Nyssa School District school board meetings, click here.
| Name | Year assumed office | Year term ends |
|---|---|---|
| Patricia Morinaka | 2029 | |
| Susan Ramos | 2029 | |
| Nick Hartley | 2025 | 2029 |
| Dustin Martinsen | 2023 | 2029 |
| Donny Ballou | 2027 | |
| Jazmine Ramirez | 2027 | |
| Maribel Ramirez | 2027 |
Join the conversation about school board politics
Unlock the full dataset for your own use cases — explore subscription options to our comprehensive list of all school board members in the country.
District map
Overlapping state house districts
The table was limited to the lower chamber because it provides the most granularity. State house districts tend to be more numerous and therefore smaller than state senate or U.S. House districts. This provides an impression of the partisan affiliations in the area.
Budget
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[5]
| SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal: | $4,295,000 | $3,621 | 20% |
| Local: | $1,881,000 | $1,586 | 9% |
| State: | $15,369,000 | $12,959 | 71% |
| Total: | $21,545,000 | $18,166 |
| TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenditures: | $20,104,000 | $16,951 | |
| Total Current Expenditures: | $19,399,000 | $16,356 | |
| Instructional Expenditures: | $12,710,000 | $10,716 | 63% |
| Student and Staff Support: | $1,079,000 | $909 | 5% |
| Administration: | $2,405,000 | $2,027 | 12% |
| Operations, Food Service, Other: | $3,205,000 | $2,702 | 16% |
| Total Capital Outlay: | $434,000 | $365 | |
| Construction: | $8,000 | $6 | |
| Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $81,000 | $68 | |
| Interest on Debt: | $190,000 | $160 |
Academic performance
Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements. To protect student privacy, percentages are reported as ranges for groups of 300 students or fewer. If five or fewer students were included in a data set, the data will display as "PS."[6]
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 25 | 15-19 | <50 | 45-49 | |||
| 2018-2019 | 30 | PS | PS | 20 | 21-39 | 45-49 | |
| 2017-2018 | 29 | 19 | <50 | 50-54 | |||
| 2016-2017 | 27 | <50 | 16 | PS | 21-39 | 45-49 | |
| 2015-2016 | 31 | PS | 18 | PS | 21-39 | 55-59 | |
| 2014-2015 | 30 | PS | 20 | <50 | 50-54 | ||
| 2013-2014 | 56 | PS | 47 | >=50 | 70-74 | ||
| 2012-2013 | 50 | PS | 40 | PS | >=50 | 70-74 | |
| 2011-2012 | 60 | PS | 49 | PS | >=50 | 75-79 | |
| 2010-2011 | 59 | PS | 49 | PS | >=80 | 75-79 |
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 39 | 25-29 | >=50 | 55-59 | |||
| 2018-2019 | 43 | PS | PS | 33 | 21-39 | 60-64 | |
| 2017-2018 | 50 | 38 | >=50 | 75-79 | |||
| 2016-2017 | 46 | PS | 34 | PS | 40-59 | 70-74 | |
| 2015-2016 | 43 | PS | 31 | PS | 40-59 | 60-64 | |
| 2014-2015 | 45 | PS | 36 | >=50 | 60-64 | ||
| 2013-2014 | 67 | PS | 55-59 | >=50 | 75-79 | ||
| 2012-2013 | 63 | PS | 54 | PS | >=50 | 80-84 | |
| 2011-2012 | 68 | PS | 57 | PS | >=50 | 85-89 | |
| 2010-2011 | 81 | PS | 76 | PS | >=80 | 90-94 |
The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-2020 | 80-84 | PS | 75-79 | 80-89 | |||
| 2018-2019 | 75-79 | 75-79 | >=80 | ||||
| 2017-2018 | 70-74 | 65-69 | PS | 60-79 | |||
| 2016-2017 | 80-84 | 70-74 | PS | PS | >=80 | ||
| 2015-2016 | 85-89 | PS | 85-89 | PS | >=80 | ||
| 2014-2015 | 85-89 | PS | 70-79 | PS | >=90 | ||
| 2013-2014 | 70-74 | 70-74 | PS | >=80 | |||
| 2012-2013 | 70-74 | PS | 60-69 | PS | PS | >=80 | |
| 2011-2012 | 75-79 | 70-79 | PS | PS | >=80 | ||
| 2010-2011 | 80-84 | 70-79 | >=80 |
Students
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[7]
| Year | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024 | 1,504 | 12.2 |
| 2022-2023 | 1,321 | 10.2 |
| 2021-2022 | 1,186 | 0.5 |
| 2020-2021 | 1,180 | -2.7 |
| 2019-2020 | 1,212 | -4.0 |
| 2018-2019 | 1,260 | 5.1 |
| 2017-2018 | 1,196 | 2.8 |
| 2016-2017 | 1,162 | -0.1 |
| 2015-2016 | 1,163 | -7.3 |
| 2014-2015 | 1,248 | 0.8 |
| 2013-2014 | 1,238 | -4.7 |
| 2012-2013 | 1,296 | 10.3 |
| 2011-2012 | 1,163 | 2.4 |
| 2010-2011 | 1,135 | -5.7 |
| 2009-2010 | 1,200 | 3.8 |
| 2008-2009 | 1,155 | -3.4 |
| 2007-2008 | 1,194 | 1.3 |
| 2006-2007 | 1,178 | 2.5 |
| 2005-2006 | 1,148 | 2.4 |
| 2004-2005 | 1,121 | -0.5 |
| 2003-2004 | 1,127 | -4.3 |
| 2002-2003 | 1,176 | -0.3 |
| 2001-2002 | 1,179 | 1.4 |
| 2000-2001 | 1,163 | -3.5 |
| 1999-2000 | 1,204 | 0.0 |
| RACE | Nyssa School District (%) | Oregon K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.1 | 1.1 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.1 | 4.1 |
| Black | 0.1 | 2.4 |
| Hispanic | 52.6 | 25.7 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.9 |
| Two or More Races | 4.5 | 7.3 |
| White | 42.6 | 58.0 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Staff
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[8]
As of the 2023-2024 school year, Nyssa School District had 79.13 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 19.01.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten: | 0.00 |
| Kindergarten: | 7.15 |
| Elementary: | 51.81 |
| Secondary: | 20.17 |
| Total: | 79.13 |
Nyssa School District employed 2.94 district administrators and 6.00 school administrators as of the 2023-2024 school year.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
|---|---|
| District Administrators: | 2.94 |
| District Administrative Support: | 5.77 |
| School Administrators: | 6.00 |
| School Administrative Support: | 8.73 |
| TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
|---|---|
| Instructional Aides: | 25.63 |
| Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 1.00 |
| Total Guidance Counselors: | 4.00 |
| Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 0.00 |
| Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 0.00 |
| Librarians/Media Specialists: | 0.00 |
| Library/Media Support: | 3.00 |
| Student Support Services: | 9.87 |
| Other Support Services: | 35.45 |
Schools
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[9]
About school boards
Education legislation in Oregon
Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.
See also
| School Boards | Education Policy | Local Politics | Oregon |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Abbey Smith, "Phone communication with Gail Trotter at the Malheur County Clerk's Office," June 20, 2024
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Malheur Enterprise, "Nyssa parent seeks recall of board members over meeting conflict for Hispanic migrant famiies," March 20, 2024
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Nyssa School District 26, "Nyssa Board of Directors," accessed April 9, 2024
- ↑ Argus Observer, "Nyssa sees one board member Jeremy Peterson resign due to SEI," April 9, 2024
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2018-19 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed February 25, 2021
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
| |||||
