Valley Inquiry Charter School

valleyinquiry.salkeiz.k12.or.us

Charter School 149 Students

Elementary School K - 5th

School Overview

Valley Inquiry Charter School (VICS), located in Salem, Oregon, is a public charter school within the Salem-Keizer School District that serves students from kindergarten through fifth grade. The school is distinguished by its commitment to the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme, an inquiry-based curriculum designed to foster global-mindedness, critical thinking, and academic rigor. By focusing on conceptual learning, VICS encourages students to take an active role in their education, connecting classroom lessons to real-world challenges and diverse perspectives.

Beyond its academic framework, Valley Inquiry emphasizes the importance of community and social-emotional development. The school prides itself on maintaining a close-knit environment where students are encouraged to become "inquirers" who are knowledgeable, caring, and reflective. Through a blend of student-led projects, collaborative learning, and a focus on essential life skills, VICS aims to prepare its students not only for middle school success but also to be responsible, engaged citizens in a global society.

149

Total Students

9.0

Full-Time Teachers

16.6

Student/Teacher Ratio

91.3%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Valley Inquiry Charter School
Demographic	Student Count
White	72
Hispanic	52
Black	2
Asian	1
Two or More	19
Pacific Islander	3

White
72 (48.3%)
Hispanic
52 (34.9%)
Two or More
19 (12.8%)
Pacific Islander
3 (2.0%)
Black
2 (1.3%)
Asian
1 (0.7%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	N/A
District:	Salem-Keizer SD 24J
Phone:	(503)399-3150
Website:	http://valleyinquiry.salkeiz.k12.or.us
Grade Range:	K - 5th
Total Students:	149
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	9.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	16.6
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	136
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 22

Grade 1 26

Grade 2 23

Grade 3 28

Grade 4 26

Grade 5 24

Grades Taught Data Table

Grades Taught and Student Counts for Valley Inquiry Charter School
Grade	Student Count
Kindergarten	22
Grade 1	26
Grade 2	23
Grade 3	28
Grade 4	26
Grade 5	24

Gender Ratio

Student Gender Ratio Data Table

Student Gender Ratio for Valley Inquiry Charter School
Gender	Student Count	Percentage
Female	76	51%
Male	73	49%

Nearby Elementary Schools (Within 10 Miles)