Portage Central High School

Summary:

Portage Central High School is a public high school serving 1,420 students in grades 9-12 in Portage, Michigan, part of the highly-ranked Portage Public Schools district.

Portage Central High School consistently ranks among the top high schools in Michigan, with students performing significantly better than state and district averages on standardized tests. The school maintains a high 97.6% four-year graduation rate and a low 0.5% dropout rate, far outpacing nearby schools like Portage Northern High School and Portage Community High School. Portage Central's student body is also more racially diverse than surrounding schools, with 76.69% White, 2.61% African American, 6.06% Hispanic, and 7.25% Asian students.

While Portage Central High School has a lower percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch compared to the district and nearby schools like Loy Norrix High School and Phoenix Alternative High School, the school's exceptional performance across different socioeconomic groups suggests it provides an equitable education to all students. Portage Central's consistent academic excellence, diverse student population, and strong metrics make it a standout institution in the region.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 8135 S Westnedge Ave
       Portage, MI  49002-5433


(269) 323-5200

District: Portage Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
45th of 743 Michigan High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,347 Help


Feeder schools for Portage Central High School:

Elementary:    Central Elementary School
    Lake Center Elementary School
    Moorsbridge Elementary School
    Woodland Elementary School
Middle:    Portage Central Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  20.6 Help
Number of students:  1,420

Racial breakdown:

White:
76.7%
Two or more races:
7.4%
Asian:
7.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  16.1% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Portage Central High School ranks better than 93.9% of high schools in Michigan. It also ranks first among 3 ranked high schools in the Portage Public Schools District! (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 92.91. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Portage Central High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Portage Central High School has the largest high school student body size in the Portage Public Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (76.7%), two or more races (7.4%), Asian (7.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 16.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Portage Public Schools District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Portage Central High School is 20.6, which is the highest among 3 high schools in the Portage Public Schools District! (See more...)
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Compare Portage Central High School employs 68.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Portage Central High School is $13,347, which is the lowest among 3 high schools in the Portage Public Schools District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Portage Central High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Portage Central High School 45th of 743 Michigan public high schools. (See Portage Central High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Portage Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Portage Public Schools 123rd of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Portage Central High School

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Rank History for all students at Portage Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 89.65 42nd 705 94.0%
2007 89.66 39th 767 94.9%
2008 89.17 53rd 750 92.9%
2009 90.62 41st 754 94.6%
2010 89.76 36th 765 95.3%
2011 84.89 73rd 784 90.7%
2012 93.84 33rd 773 95.7%
2013 86.75 89th 805 88.9%
2014 91.40 48th 799 94.0%
2015 86.87 80th 832 90.4%
2016 86.81 87th 852 89.8%
2017 89.03 66th 835 92.1%
2018 88.45 71st 824 91.4%
2019 88.42 68th 666 89.8%
2021 93.45 31st 561 94.5%
2022 93.08 41st 531 92.3%
2023 71.44 176th 735 76.1%
2024 92.91 45th 743 93.9%
See the entire list of Michigan High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Portage Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.25 30th 93 67.7%
2021 57.75 11th 24 54.2%
2022 47.73 17th 32 46.9%
2023 72.31 24th 110 78.2%
2024 66.46 29th 105 72.4%
See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Portage Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 95.52 5th 315 98.4%
2024 33.57 87th 130 33.1%
See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Portage Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 85.71 64th 755 91.5%
2019 55.16 223rd 532 58.1%
2022 88.27 34th 369 90.8%
2023 44.11 342nd 614 44.3%
2024 63.60 193rd 654 70.5%
See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Portage Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.93 147th 710 79.3%
2019 85.81 61st 554 89.0%
2021 91.11 30th 462 93.5%
2022 87.38 51st 416 87.7%
2023 72.89 123rd 611 79.9%
2024 90.04 45th 619 92.7%
See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Portage Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 91.74 44th 707 93.8%
2019 86.22 61st 543 88.8%
2021 92.08 31st 472 93.4%
2022 94.96 30th 440 93.2%
2023 61.02 207th 611 66.1%
2024 92.72 36th 633 94.3%
See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Portage Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 67.82 37th 87 57.5%
2022 62.84 15th 31 51.6%
2023 47.42 34th 63 46.0%
2024 84.73 10th 70 85.7%
See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Portage Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 82.29 28th 201 86.1%
2019 87.47 8th 97 91.8%
2023 57.71 66th 190 65.3%
2024 96.12 5th 195 97.4%
See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Portage Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 84.59 84th 708 88.1%
2019 84.26 78th 582 86.6%
2021 90.99 41st 516 92.1%
2022 91.34 49th 492 90.0%
2023 60.10 224th 647 65.4%
2024 87.99 58th 638 90.9%
See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Michigan 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.

Portage Central High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Portage Central High School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1191 16 10 6 1 n/a n/a -23 1201
1989 1127 14 10 9 1 n/a n/a -21 1140
1990 1099 13 3 4 1 n/a n/a -42 1078
1991 1044 20 4 10 0 n/a n/a 0 1078
1992 1058 19 4 17 3 n/a n/a 0 1101
1993 1060 17 9 12 2 n/a n/a 0 1100
1994 1069 22 9 11 5 n/a n/a 0 1116
1995 1103 25 15 10 2 n/a n/a 0 1155
1996 1103 25 15 10 2 n/a n/a 0 1155
1997 1179 25 21 15 1 n/a n/a 0 1241
1998 1232 29 29 19 3 n/a n/a 0 1312
1999 1257 34 32 22 2 n/a n/a 0 1347
2000 1300 25 51 22 6 n/a n/a 0 1404
2001 1282 26 49 21 7 n/a n/a 0 1385
2002 1375 21 48 12 8 n/a n/a 0 1464
2003 1375 21 48 12 8 n/a n/a 0 1464
2004 1400 27 44 15 7 n/a n/a 6 1499
2005 1365 31 65 20 5 n/a n/a 9 1495
2006 1366 30 64 20 6 n/a n/a 4 1490
2007 1329 38 62 26 5 n/a n/a 5 1465
2008 1295 47 59 28 2 n/a n/a 6 1437
2009 1271 46 56 31 2 n/a n/a 6 1412
2010 1200 45 67 32 2 n/a n/a 8 1354
2011 1193 38 60 36 2 3 40 0 1372
2012 1165 48 73 29 3 5 20 0 1343
2013 1158 56 94 35 3 5 38 0 1389
2014 1153 49 97 40 2 3 53 0 1397
2015 1100 36 104 55 2 4 67 0 1368
2016 1107 37 97 62 0 4 87 0 1394
2017 1088 36 84 68 0 3 70 0 1349
2018 1091 38 89 66 0 3 69 0 1356
2019 1100 29 86 78 0 2 68 0 1363
2020 1111 29 97 66 1 1 65 0 1370
2021 1125 35 99 68 1 1 89 0 1418
2022 1105 34 102 80 2 1 100 0 1424
2023 1089 37 103 86 0 0 105 0 1420

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 Portage Central High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1201 n/a n/a n/a
1989 1140 n/a n/a 1.5
1990 1078 76.0 14.1 1.6
1991 1078 n/a n/a n/a
1992 1101 n/a n/a 3.3
1993 1100 n/a 0.0 3.4
1994 1116 55.6 20.1 1.4
1995 1155 62.4 18.5 1
1996 1155 62.4 18.5 1
1997 1241 62.0 20.0 1.5
1998 1312 67.0 19.6 1.8
1999 1347 74.0 18.2 1.9
2000 1404 77.4 18.1 4.8
2001 1385 76.6 18.1 3.8
2002 1464 67.8 21.6 5.7
2003 1464 67.8 21.6 5.7
2004 1499 80.5 18.6 6.2
2005 1495 81.9 18.3 7.4
2006 1490 84.2 17.7 9.3
2007 1465 81.4 18.0 11.4
2008 1437 78.9 18.2 10.8
2009 1412 74.6 18.9 12.6
2010 1354 75.5 17.9 14.8
2011 1372 64.5 21.2 17.4
2012 1343 61.4 21.8 17.8
2013 1389 61.3 22.6 15.5
2014 1397 62.5 22.3 15.6
2015 1368 62.0 22.0 13.1
2016 1394 62.0 22.4 14.4
2017 1349 62.5 21.5 13.2
2018 1356 60.4 22.4 17.9
2019 1363 61.7 22.0 14.5
2020 1370 62.7 21.8 14.1
2021 1418 63.3 22.3 14.5
2022 1424 68.3 20.8 15.4
2023 1420 68.8 20.6 16.1

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 Portage Central High School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1201 n/a n/a n/a
1989 1140 n/a n/a 1.5
1990 1078 76.0 14.1 1.6
1991 1078 n/a n/a n/a
1992 1101 n/a n/a 3.3
1993 1100 n/a 0.0 3.4
1994 1116 55.6 20.1 1.4
1995 1155 62.4 18.5 1
1996 1155 62.4 18.5 1
1997 1241 62.0 20.0 1.5
1998 1312 67.0 19.6 1.8
1999 1347 74.0 18.2 1.9
2000 1404 77.4 18.1 4.8
2001 1385 76.6 18.1 3.8
2002 1464 67.8 21.6 5.7
2003 1464 67.8 21.6 5.7
2004 1499 80.5 18.6 6.2
2005 1495 81.9 18.3 7.4
2006 1490 84.2 17.7 9.3
2007 1465 81.4 18.0 11.4
2008 1437 78.9 18.2 10.8
2009 1412 74.6 18.9 12.6
2010 1354 75.5 17.9 14.8
2011 1372 64.5 21.2 17.4
2012 1343 61.4 21.8 17.8
2013 1389 61.3 22.6 15.5
2014 1397 62.5 22.3 15.6
2015 1368 62.0 22.0 13.1
2016 1394 62.0 22.4 14.4
2017 1349 62.5 21.5 13.2
2018 1356 60.4 22.4 17.9
2019 1363 61.7 22.0 14.5
2020 1370 62.7 21.8 14.1
2021 1418 63.3 22.3 14.5
2022 1424 68.3 20.8 15.4
2023 1420 68.8 20.6 16.1

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 Portage Central High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $321 (2.9%) $10,884 (97.1%) $11,205
2020 $354 (3.3%) $10,258 (96.7%) $10,612
2021 $569 (5.3%) $10,145 (94.7%) $10,714
2022 $588 (5.0%) $11,246 (95.0%) $11,834
2023 $749 (5.6%) $12,598 (94.4%) $13,347

Data source: Michigan Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Portage Central 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 68th of 666 High schoolsRanks 176th of 735 High schools
 13.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade Social Studies (Portage Central High School)57.437.7
 19.7%
   11th Grade Social Studies (Portage Public Schools)60.340.5
 19.8%
   11th Grade Social Studies (Michigan)46.636.1
 10.5%
11th Grade Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Portage Central High School)77.571.9
 5.6%
   11th Grade Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Portage Public Schools)74.371.9
 2.4%
   11th Grade Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Michigan)55.352.2
 3.1%
11th Grade Mathematics (Portage Central High School)61.244.2
 17%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Portage Public Schools)5742.7
 14.3%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Michigan)36.329.9
 6.4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students13631420
 4.2%
African American2937
 27.6%
American Indian00
Asian86103
 19.8%
Hispanic7886
 10.3%
Pacific Islander20
 100%
White11001089
 1%
Two or More Races68105
 54.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients14.5%16.1%
 1.5%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Portage Central High School

Students at Portage Central High School are 77% White, 7% Two or more races, 7% Asian, 6% Hispanic, 3% African American.

Yes. Portage Central High School ranks in the top 6.1% of Michigan high schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,420 students attended Portage Central High School.


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





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