Is Portales Junior High a good school?

Portales Junior High ranks 87 th of 235 New Mexico middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Portales Junior High?

In the 2022-23 school year, 408 students attended Portales Junior High.

What is the racial makeup of Portales Junior High?

Students at Portales Junior High are 66% Hispanic, 28% White, 3% Two or more races, 1% African American.

What high school do graduates of Portales Junior High attend?

Students who attend Portales Junior High usually go on to attend Portales High

Portales Junior High

Summary:

Portales Junior High is a public middle school in Portales, New Mexico, serving grades 7-8 with a total enrollment of 408 students. The school is part of the Portales school district, which is ranked 47 out of 119 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Portales Junior High's academic performance is generally on par with or slightly above the state averages in English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, and Science. The school's proficiency rates in the 2023-2024 school year were 40% in ELA, 22% in Mathematics, and 44% in Science, compared to the state averages of 39%, 25%, and 36%, respectively. Compared to the nearby Lindsey-Steiner Elementary, Portales Junior High performed better in ELA and Science, but slightly lower in Mathematics. However, the school's performance for African American, Multi-racial, and Special Education students has been below the state averages for those subgroups.

Portales Junior High has maintained a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 13.6 to 14 students per teacher in recent years, which is lower than the nearby Clovis middle schools. The school has also maintained a relatively consistent 3-star rating from SchoolDigger over the past several years, indicating a stable level of academic performance. While the school's strengths lie in its performance in ELA and Science, its lower performance in Mathematics, particularly for certain student subgroups, suggests an area for improvement.

Detail:

Public 7-8

700 East 3rd St
Portales, NM 88130

(575) 356-7045

District: Portales

SchoolDigger Rank:
87^th of 235 New Mexico Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,623

Students who attend Portales Junior High usually attend:

High:

Portales High

Feeder schools for Portales Junior High:

Elementary:	Brown Early Childhood Center
	James Elementary
	Valencia Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 13.6

Number of students: 408

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

66.2%

White:

28.4%

Two or more races:

2.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 59.8%

See top rated New Mexico middle schools

Compare Portales Junior High to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Portales Junior High ranks better than 63% of middle schools in New Mexico. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 52.69. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (66.2%), White (28.4%), two or more races (2.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 59.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Portales Junior High is 13.6. (See more...)

Compare Portales Junior High employs 30 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Portales Junior High is $9,623.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Portales Junior High:

SchoolDigger ranks Portales Junior High 87^th of 235 New Mexico public middle schools. (See Portales Junior High in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Portales:

SchoolDigger ranks Portales 47^th of 119 New Mexico school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Portales Junior High?

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Rank History for Portales Junior High

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Rank History for all students at Portales Junior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NM State Percentile
2005	66.11	44^th	157	72.0%
2006	65.06	44^th	156	71.8%
2007	47.42	85^th	171	50.3%
2008	57.43	62^nd	172	64.0%
2009	64.47	48^th	178	73.0%
2010	55.62	66^th	179	63.1%
2011	31.80	115^th	173	33.5%
2012	56.89	69^th	178	61.2%
2013	47.67	92^nd	193	52.3%
2014	48.69	110^th	222	50.5%
2015	41.81	105^th	207	49.3%
2016	35.13	132^nd	208	36.5%
2017	52.94	67^th	176	61.9%
2018	60.11	57^th	186	69.4%
2019	56.42	73^rd	200	63.5%
2022	52.16	86^th	232	62.9%
2023	56.57	81^st	239	66.1%
2024	52.69	87^th	235	63.0%

See the entire list of New Mexico Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Portales Junior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NM State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	35.31	50^th	65	23.1%

See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Portales Junior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NM State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	58.45	17^th	97	82.5%

See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Portales Junior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NM State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	22.54	50^th	58	13.8%
2023	28.44	57^th	100	43.0%

See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Portales Junior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NM State Percentile
2018	50.44	71^st	168	57.7%
2019	53.91	65^th	175	62.9%
2022	48.41	82^nd	223	63.2%
2023	67.32	55^th	227	75.8%

See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Portales Junior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NM State Percentile
2018	73.05	24^th	156	84.6%
2019	54.96	60^th	160	62.5%
2022	54.85	63^rd	220	71.4%
2023	63.02	62^nd	213	70.9%
2024	50.91	87^th	217	59.9%

See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Portales Junior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NM State Percentile
2018	43.44	77^th	151	49.0%
2019	54.92	54^th	152	64.5%
2022	44.81	89^th	213	58.2%
2023	45.64	105^th	221	52.5%
2024	51.56	83^rd	219	62.1%

See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Portales Junior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NM State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	48.75	27^th	55	50.9%

See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Portales Junior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NM State Percentile
2018	47.84	68^th	149	54.4%
2019	54.88	52^nd	150	65.3%
2022	42.74	92^nd	214	57.0%
2023	52.00	79^th	204	61.3%
2024	51.65	72^nd	206	65.0%

See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Portales Junior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NM State Percentile
2018	65.70	26^th	120	78.3%
2019	46.29	60^th	121	50.4%
2022	64.41	49^th	187	73.8%
2023	54.88	82^nd	229	64.2%
2024	54.66	69^th	181	61.9%

See the entire list of Best New Mexico Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: New Mexico Public Education Department, 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: New Mexico Public Education Department

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Enrollment information for Portales Junior High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1990	221	0	4	163	0	n/a	n/a	388
1991	225	3	2	169	0	n/a	n/a	399
1992	255	5	2	177	0	n/a	n/a	439
1993	283	1	2	185	1	n/a	n/a	472
1994	287	9	4	216	2	n/a	n/a	518
1995	262	7	0	223	1	n/a	n/a	493
1996	262	7	0	223	1	n/a	n/a	493
1997	246	6	1	213	0	n/a	n/a	466
1998	214	7	4	187	2	n/a	n/a	414
1999	206	7	12	176	2	n/a	n/a	403
2000	234	5	2	171	2	n/a	n/a	414
2001	226	6	1	177	5	n/a	n/a	415
2002	173	7	2	195	5	n/a	n/a	382
2003	173	7	2	195	5	n/a	n/a	382
2004	183	11	2	193	6	n/a	n/a	395
2005	185	6	3	192	3	n/a	n/a	389
2006	210	4	3	225	1	n/a	n/a	443
2007	192	7	0	241	4	n/a	n/a	444
2008	170	8	0	230	1	n/a	n/a	409
2009	177	8	0	218	4	n/a	n/a	407
2010	166	6	0	258	0	1	0	431
2011	160	7	1	275	0	1	0	444
2012	170	11	2	267	4	0	2	456
2013	157	16	2	271	2	0	5	453
2014	151	13	4	259	1	0	3	431
2015	150	12	2	246	2	1	5	418
2016	141	9	2	232	1	0	8	393
2017	150	8	5	223	2	0	2	390
2018	146	16	6	233	3	1	5	410
2019	121	9	5	246	5	1	6	393
2020	113	18	2	279	4	0	13	429
2021	107	7	1	278	5	0	13	411
2022	114	9	2	290	3	1	16	435
2023	116	6	2	270	2	1	11	408

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 Portales Junior High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	388	21.8	17.7	n/a
1991	399	23.8	16.7	n/a
1992	439	24.8	17.7	n/a
1993	472	28.3	16.7	n/a
1994	518	30.7	16.9	n/a
1995	493	29.1	16.9	n/a
1996	493	29.1	16.9	n/a
1997	466	29.1	16.0	n/a
1998	414	31.5	13.1	n/a
1999	403	29.6	13.6	38.7
2000	414	30.0	13.8	39.4
2001	415	27.1	15.3	48.2
2002	382	25.0	15.3	64.1
2003	382	25.0	15.3	64.1
2004	395	23.5	16.8	90.6
2005	389	24.3	16.0	66.1
2006	443	20.6	21.5	59.1
2007	444	27.4	16.2	68.5
2008	409	29.1	14.1	64.8
2009	407	27.3	14.9	61.4
2010	431	26.7	16.0	71.5
2011	444	27.5	16.1	71.8
2012	456	28.0	16.2	68.6
2013	453	27.0	16.7	71.7
2014	431	26.0	16.5	69.1
2015	418	27.0	15.4	72.2
2016	393	26.0	15.1	66.4
2017	390	24.0	16.2	67.4
2018	410	26.0	15.7	67.1
2019	393	27.0	14.5	69.7
2020	429	29.1	14.7	66.4
2021	411	30.1	13.6	54.5
2022	435	31.0	14.0	64.6
2023	408	30.0	13.6	59.8

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 Portales Junior High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	388	21.8	17.7	n/a
1991	399	23.8	16.7	n/a
1992	439	24.8	17.7	n/a
1993	472	28.3	16.7	n/a
1994	518	30.7	16.9	n/a
1995	493	29.1	16.9	n/a
1996	493	29.1	16.9	n/a
1997	466	29.1	16.0	n/a
1998	414	31.5	13.1	n/a
1999	403	29.6	13.6	38.7
2000	414	30.0	13.8	39.4
2001	415	27.1	15.3	48.2
2002	382	25.0	15.3	64.1
2003	382	25.0	15.3	64.1
2004	395	23.5	16.8	90.6
2005	389	24.3	16.0	66.1
2006	443	20.6	21.5	59.1
2007	444	27.4	16.2	68.5
2008	409	29.1	14.1	64.8
2009	407	27.3	14.9	61.4
2010	431	26.7	16.0	71.5
2011	444	27.5	16.1	71.8
2012	456	28.0	16.2	68.6
2013	453	27.0	16.7	71.7
2014	431	26.0	16.5	69.1
2015	418	27.0	15.4	72.2
2016	393	26.0	15.1	66.4
2017	390	24.0	16.2	67.4
2018	410	26.0	15.7	67.1
2019	393	27.0	14.5	69.7
2020	429	29.1	14.7	66.4
2021	411	30.1	13.6	54.5
2022	435	31.0	14.0	64.6
2023	408	30.0	13.6	59.8

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 Portales Junior High

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$9,623

Data source: New Mexico Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Portales Junior High

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 73^rd of 200 Middle schools	Ranks 81^st of 239 Middle schools	2.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade Language Arts (Portales Junior High)	40	41.3	1.3%
7th Grade Language Arts (Portales)	40	41.3	1.3%
7th Grade Language Arts (New Mexico)	31	34.8	3.8%
7th Grade Mathematics (Portales Junior High)	23	33.8	10.8%
7th Grade Mathematics (Portales)	23	33.8	10.8%
7th Grade Mathematics (New Mexico)	19	24.8	5.8%
8th Grade Language Arts (Portales Junior High)	36	30.7	5.3%
8th Grade Language Arts (Portales)	36	30.7	5.3%
8th Grade Language Arts (New Mexico)	31	33.2	2.2%
8th Grade Mathematics (Portales Junior High)	27	21.1	5.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Portales)	27	21.1	5.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (New Mexico)	20	19.7	0.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	393	408	3.8%
African American	9	6	33.3%
American Indian	5	2	60%
Asian	5	2	60%
Hispanic	246	270	9.8%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	121	116	4.1%
Two or More Races	6	11	83.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	69.7%	59.8%	9.9%

Schools Near Portales Junior High

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				NM-ASR Science (2024)	NM-MSSA English Language Arts (2024)	NM-MSSA Mathematics (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NM-ASR Science All Grades	NM-MSSA English Language Arts All Grades	NM-MSSA Mathematics All Grades	Total
Portales Junior High	Public	7-8	700 East 3rd St	Portales	88130	Roosevelt County	Portales	No	(n/a)	No	No	(575) 356-7045	408	30	13.6	59.8%	116 (28.4%)	6 (1.5%)	270 (66.2%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	11 (2.7%)	52.7	87^th of 235 public middle schools	63.0%		56.6	81^st of 239 public middle schools	66.1%	6	44.0	40.0	22.0	$9,623
Lindsey-Steiner Elementary	Public	5-6	1000 North Ave M	Portales	88130	Roosevelt County	Portales	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 356-7060	316	27	11.7	65.5%	77 (24.4%)	3 (0.9%)	222 (70.3%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.5%)								(n/a)	35.0	34.0	28.0	$9,081
Floyd Middle	Public	5-8	1564 Nm 267	Floyd	88118	Roosevelt County	Floyd	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 478-2211	78	6	12.0	89.7%	22 (28.2%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (71.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	52.5	89^th of 235 public middle schools	62.1%		51.4	95^th of 239 public middle schools	60.3%	6	56.0	45.0	13.0	$13,661
Marshall 6th Grade Academy	Public	6	100 Commerce Way	Clovis	88101	Curry County	Clovis	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 769-4300	519	31	16.7	100.0%	106 (20.4%)	29 (5.6%)	368 (70.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (2.7%)								(n/a)		44.0	36.0	$8,513
Yucca Middle	Public	7-8	1500 Sycamore	Clovis	88101	Curry County	Clovis	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 769-4300	572	31	18.6	100.0%	134 (23.4%)	23 (4.0%)	394 (68.9%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (2.8%)	38.1	133^rd of 235 public middle schools	43.4%		37.3	143^rd of 239 public middle schools	40.2%	10	37.0	35.0	16.0	$7,668
W D Gattis Middle School	Public	7-8	5100 N. Thornton Street	Clovis	88101	Curry County	Clovis	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(575) 769-4305	539	33	16.5	100.0%	160 (29.7%)	40 (7.4%)	301 (55.8%)	5 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	31 (5.8%)	54.3	82^nd of 235 public middle schools	65.1%		59.3	76^th of 239 public middle schools	68.2%	6	37.0	42.0	25.0	$8,769

Portales Junior High

Portales Junior High:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Portales:

What do you think?

Rank History for Portales Junior High

Rank History for all students at Portales Junior High

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Portales Junior High

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Portales Junior High

Rank History for Special Education students at Portales Junior High

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Portales Junior High

Rank History for Female students at Portales Junior High

Rank History for Male students at Portales Junior High

Rank History for African American students at Portales Junior High

Rank History for Hispanic students at Portales Junior High

Rank History for White students at Portales Junior High

Enrollment information for Portales Junior High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Portales Junior High

Student/Teacher Ratio Portales Junior High

Per Pupil Expenditures for Portales Junior High

Impact of COVID-19 on Portales Junior High

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Portales Junior High