Portland High School

Q: Is Portland High School a good school?

Portland High School ranks 73 rd of 123 Maine high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Portland High School is a public high school serving 952 students in grades 9-12 in Portland, Maine. The school is part of the Portland Public Schools district, which is ranked 119 out of 177 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Portland High School stands out for its relatively diverse student population, with 53.05% White, 21.64% African American, 13.97% Hispanic, and 4.1% Asian students. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science, is generally lower than the state average and nearby schools like Falmouth High School and Scarborough High School. The school's statewide ranking has fluctuated, ranging from 33rd out of 114 high schools in 2018-2019 to 73rd out of 123 high schools in 2022-2023, indicating a decline in performance relative to other schools in Maine.

Additionally, Portland High School faces challenges with its graduation rates, which have decreased from 82.4% in 2020-2021 to 77.2% in 2022-2023, lower than the state average and some nearby schools. The school also has a high chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 30.2% in 2020-2021 to 34.3% in 2022-2023, significantly higher than the state average and most nearby schools. These factors, along with the school's ranking for low socioeconomic status students being 75th out of 76 high schools in Maine in 2018-2019, suggest that Portland High School faces significant challenges in supporting its diverse student population and addressing achievement gaps.

Detail:

Public 9-12

284 Cumberland AV
Portland, ME 04101

(207) 874-8250

District: Portland Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
73^rd of 123 Maine High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,468

Feeder schools for Portland High School:

Elementary:	Amanda C Rowe School
	Cliff Island School
	East End Community School
	Gerald E Talbot Community School
	More...
	Harrison Lyseth Elementary School
	Howard C Reiche Community School
	Longfellow School-Portland
	Ocean Avenue
	Peaks Island School
	Presumpscot School
Middle:	King Middle School
	Lincoln Middle School
	Lyman Moore Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.0

Number of students: 968

Racial breakdown:

White:

46.7%

African American:

28.6%

Hispanic:

14.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 44.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Portland High School ranks worse than 59.3% of high schools in Maine. It also ranks 2^nd among 3 ranked high schools in the Portland Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 36.06. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Portland High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Portland High School has the largest high school student body size in the Portland Public Schools District. Student population at Portland High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (46.7%), African American (28.6%), Hispanic (14.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 44.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Portland High School is 14, which is the highest among 3 high schools in the Portland Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Portland High School employs 68.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Portland High School is $17,468. 1 high schools in the Portland Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Portland High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Portland High School 73^rd of 123 Maine public high schools. (See Portland High School in the ranking list.)

Portland Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Portland Public Schools 119^th of 177 Maine school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Portland High School

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Rank History for all students at Portland High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ME State Percentile
2010	27.58	80^th	103	22.3%
2011	32.92	76^th	105	27.6%
2012	37.46	65^th	107	39.3%
2013	42.24	58^th	106	45.3%
2015	7.37	85^th	98	13.3%
2016	54.52	40^th	111	64.0%
2017	43.96	56^th	111	49.5%
2018	53.70	41^st	114	64.0%
2019	62.64	33^rd	114	71.1%
2022	26.37	84^th	98	14.3%
2023	36.06	73^rd	123	40.7%

See the entire list of Maine High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Portland High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	7.21	75^th	76	1.3%

See the entire list of Best Maine High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Portland High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	52.38	33^rd	92	64.1%

See the entire list of Best Maine High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Portland High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	60.01	33^rd	92	64.1%

See the entire list of Best Maine High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Portland High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	49.84	2^nd	3	33.3%

See the entire list of Best Maine High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at Portland High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	88.90	4^th	21	81.0%

See the entire list of Best Maine High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Maine Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Maine Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Portland High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	934	934
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	969	969
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	918	918
1994	841	37	105	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	992
1995	908	77	120	22	5	n/a	n/a	0	1132
1996	908	77	120	22	5	n/a	n/a	0	1132
1997	883	78	96	18	7	n/a	n/a	0	1082
1998	877	100	112	25	7	n/a	n/a	0	1121
1999	839	127	120	29	3	n/a	n/a	0	1118
2000	805	113	116	27	2	n/a	n/a	0	1063
2001	794	148	107	29	7	n/a	n/a	0	1085
2002	816	201	93	24	9	n/a	n/a	0	1143
2003	816	201	93	24	9	n/a	n/a	0	1143
2004	847	233	99	38	10	n/a	n/a	0	1227
2005	836	244	97	42	11	n/a	n/a	0	1230
2006	694	236	108	37	9	n/a	n/a	0	1084
2007	640	251	113	49	9	n/a	n/a	0	1062
2008	614	247	104	48	12	n/a	n/a	0	1025
2009	561	218	95	39	11	n/a	n/a	0	924
2010	551	191	99	43	9	n/a	n/a	0	893
2011	602	232	93	45	10	0	1	0	983
2012	559	241	73	40	6	1	9	0	929
2013	546	223	70	48	5	1	19	0	912
2014	537	208	59	39	7	1	19	0	870
2015	538	200	53	45	5	0	21	0	862
2016	518	152	48	49	5	0	21	0	793
2017	476	167	27	44	2	1	23	0	740
2018	474	176	23	52	1	0	30	0	756
2019	478	187	21	57	2	0	29	0	774
2020	510	208	25	84	7	0	40	0	874
2021	518	200	31	88	3	0	48	0	888
2022	520	190	36	108	3	0	51	0	908
2023	505	206	39	133	3	0	66	0	952
2024	452	277	35	141	2	0	61	0	968

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Portland High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	934	68.4	13.6	n/a
1992	969	72.0	13.4	n/a
1993	918	70.2	13.1	35
1994	992	69.2	14.3	35.3
1995	1132	69.8	16.2	29.9
1996	1132	69.8	16.2	29.9
1997	1082	69.0	15.7	29.9
1998	1121	68.8	16.3	35.9
1999	1118	73.4	15.2	44.5
2000	1063	76.0	14.0	38.2
2001	1085	78.4	13.8	35.5
2002	1143	74.8	15.3	40.7
2003	1143	74.8	15.3	40.7
2004	1227	79.1	15.5	41
2005	1230	81.6	15.1	45
2006	1084	80.0	13.6	47.3
2007	1062	81.8	13.0	47.5
2008	1025	74.4	13.8	47.4
2009	924	73.1	10.7	48.6
2010	893	70.3	12.7	52.9
2011	983	67.8	14.4	51.7
2012	929	62.9	14.7	n/a
2013	912	63.4	14.3	53.2
2014	870	63.0	13.8	53.9
2015	862	57.0	15.1	53.9
2016	793	59.0	13.4	48.9
2017	740	55.5	13.3	47.2
2018	756	52.5	14.4	43.7
2019	774	53.7	14.4	43.9
2020	874	60.5	14.4	44.1
2021	888	61.8	14.3	38.7
2022	908	66.0	13.7	35.2
2023	952	68.5	13.8	32.9
2024	968	68.8	14.0	44.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Portland High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	934	68.4	13.6	n/a
1992	969	72.0	13.4	n/a
1993	918	70.2	13.1	35
1994	992	69.2	14.3	35.3
1995	1132	69.8	16.2	29.9
1996	1132	69.8	16.2	29.9
1997	1082	69.0	15.7	29.9
1998	1121	68.8	16.3	35.9
1999	1118	73.4	15.2	44.5
2000	1063	76.0	14.0	38.2
2001	1085	78.4	13.8	35.5
2002	1143	74.8	15.3	40.7
2003	1143	74.8	15.3	40.7
2004	1227	79.1	15.5	41
2005	1230	81.6	15.1	45
2006	1084	80.0	13.6	47.3
2007	1062	81.8	13.0	47.5
2008	1025	74.4	13.8	47.4
2009	924	73.1	10.7	48.6
2010	893	70.3	12.7	52.9
2011	983	67.8	14.4	51.7
2012	929	62.9	14.7	n/a
2013	912	63.4	14.3	53.2
2014	870	63.0	13.8	53.9
2015	862	57.0	15.1	53.9
2016	793	59.0	13.4	48.9
2017	740	55.5	13.3	47.2
2018	756	52.5	14.4	43.7
2019	774	53.7	14.4	43.9
2020	874	60.5	14.4	44.1
2021	888	61.8	14.3	38.7
2022	908	66.0	13.7	35.2
2023	952	68.5	13.8	32.9
2024	968	68.8	14.0	44.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Portland High School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$14,907
2019	$15,064
2020	$15,153
2021	$16,111
2022	$17,187
2023	$17,468

Data source: Maine Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Portland High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 33^rd of 114 High schools	Ranks 73^rd of 123 High schools	30.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	774	952	23%
African American	187	206	10.2%
American Indian	2	3	50%
Asian	21	39	85.7%
Hispanic	57	133	133.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	478	505	5.6%
Two or More Races	29	66	127.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	43.9%	32.9%	11%

Schools Near Portland High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				MEA English Language Arts (2023)	MEA Mathematics (2023)	MEA Science (2023)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MEA English Language Arts All Grades	MEA Mathematics All Grades	MEA Science All Grades	Total
Portland High School	Public	9-12	284 Cumberland AV	Portland	04101	Cumberland County	Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 874-8250	968	69	14.0	44.6%	452 (46.7%)	277 (28.6%)	141 (14.6%)	35 (3.6%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (6.3%)	36.1	73^rd of 123 public high schools	40.7%		26.4	84^th of 98 public high schools	14.3%	11	56.2	46.7	33.6	$17,468
Baxter Academy for Technical & Sciences	Public, Charter	9-12	185 Lancaster Street	Portland	04101	Cumberland County	Baxter Academy for Technology and Science	Yes	No	No	No	(207) 699-5500	373	25	15.1	11.0%	320 (85.8%)	16 (4.3%)	9 (2.4%)	11 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.6%)	98	1^st of 123 public high schools	99.2%		87.8	5^th of 98 public high schools	94.9%	4			65.6	$14,487
Deering High School	Public	9-12	370 Stevens Avenue	Portland	04103	Cumberland County	Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 874-8260	836	73	11.5	59.1%	316 (37.8%)	324 (38.8%)	91 (10.9%)	54 (6.5%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (5.6%)	9.5	118^th of 123 public high schools	4.1%		0	98^th of 98 public high schools	0.0%	20	48.4	31.6	17.1	$21,088
South Portland High School	Public	9-12	637 Highland Avenue	South Portland	04106	Cumberland County	South Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 767-3266	995	81	12.3	36.3%	625 (62.8%)	215 (21.6%)	78 (7.8%)	34 (3.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (4.2%)	19.6	107^th of 123 public high schools	13.0%		16.4	92^nd of 98 public high schools	6.1%	15	57.9	29.9	24.4	$16,728
Arthur R. Gould School--LCYDC	Public	7-12	675 Westbrook Street	South Portland	04106	Cumberland County	Arthur R. Gould School--LCYDC	No	No	No	No	(207) 822-2660	11	10	1.1	45.5%	8 (72.7%)	2 (18.2%)	1 (9.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Casco Bay High School	Public	9-12	196 Allen Avenue	Portland	04103	Cumberland County	Portland Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 874-8160	381	28	13.5	42.0%	197 (51.7%)	106 (27.8%)	32 (8.4%)	24 (6.3%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	20 (5.2%)	48.7	43^rd of 123 public high schools	65.0%		63.8	35^th of 98 public high schools	64.3%	8	69.2	46.3	31.1	$16,387
Maine Connections Academy	Public, Virtual, Charter	7-12	8 Science Park Road	Scarborough	04074	Cumberland County	Maine Connections Academy	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	(207) 805-3254	510	23	22.1	40.4%	465 (91.2%)	2 (0.4%)	17 (3.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (4.9%)	63.7	25^th of 123 public high schools	79.7%		82.3	11^th of 98 public high schools	88.8%	14	78.0	33.3	57.5	$11,444
Westbrook High School	Public	9-12	125 Stroudwater Street	Westbrook	04092	Cumberland County	Westbrook Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 854-0810	704	60	11.7	56.7%	460 (65.3%)	135 (19.2%)	36 (5.1%)	40 (5.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (4.7%)	21.3	101^st of 123 public high schools	17.9%		25.4	86^th of 98 public high schools	12.2%	15	55.0	38.9	23.6	$16,063
Cape Elizabeth High School	Public	9-12	345 Ocean House Road	Cape Elizabeth	04107	Cumberland County	Cape Elizabeth Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 799-3309	513	46	11.1	5.5%	456 (88.9%)	6 (1.2%)	20 (3.9%)	15 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	15 (2.9%)	94.8	3^rd of 123 public high schools	97.6%		81.9	13^th of 98 public high schools	86.7%	10	87.5	68.0	63.0	$23,165
Falmouth High School	Public	9-12	74 Woodville Road	Falmouth	04105	Cumberland County	Falmouth Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(207) 781-7429	698	67	10.4	2.3%	616 (88.3%)	15 (2.1%)	16 (2.3%)	47 (6.7%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	89.4	6^th of 123 public high schools	95.1%		72.3	22^nd of 98 public high schools	77.6%	16	72.8	69.2	73.3	$22,141

Frequently Asked Questions about Portland High School

How many students attend Portland High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 968 students attended Portland High School.

What schools feed into Portland High School?

Portland High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Amanda C Rowe School
Elementary : Cliff Island School
Elementary : East End Community School
Elementary : Gerald E Talbot Community School
Elementary : Harrison Lyseth Elementary School
Elementary : Howard C Reiche Community School
Elementary : Longfellow School-Portland
Elementary : Ocean Avenue
Elementary : Peaks Island School
Elementary : Presumpscot School
Middle : King Middle School
Middle : Lincoln Middle School
Middle : Lyman Moore Middle School

Is Portland High School a good school?

Portland High School ranks 73^rd of 123 Maine high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Portland High School?

Students at Portland High School are 47% White, 29% African American, 15% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

What district is Portland High School in?

Portland Public Schools

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Maine Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.