Best Public Schools in Portage, PA

Summary:

The city of Portage, Pennsylvania is home to two schools that serve students from elementary through high school: Portage Area Elementary School and Portage Area Junior/Senior High School, which are part of the Portage Area School District. While the elementary school is a standout performer, ranking in the top 16% of Pennsylvania elementary schools, the junior/senior high school has seen a decline in its statewide ranking in recent years.

Portage Area Elementary School consistently maintains a 4-star rating and has significantly higher math, English, and science proficiency rates compared to state averages. In contrast, Portage Area Junior/Senior High School has more mixed academic performance, with math and 11th grade English proficiency lagging the state average, despite strong science proficiency.

The data also reveals socioeconomic differences between the two schools, with Portage Area Elementary School having a higher free/reduced lunch rate of 54.5% compared to 34.0% at the junior/senior high school. Additionally, the junior/senior high school spends more per student ($16,206) than the elementary school ($14,864), but this higher spending does not appear to translate into stronger academic outcomes.

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				Keystone Exams Algebra I (2023)	Keystone Exams Biology (2023)	Keystone Exams Literature (2023)	PSSA Math (2023)							PSSA Science (2023)			PSSA English Language Arts (2023)							Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
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	Keystone Exams Algebra I 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Biology 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Literature 11th Grade	PSSA Math 3rd Grade	PSSA Math 4th Grade	PSSA Math 5th Grade	PSSA Math 6th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 4th Grade	PSSA Science 8th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 3rd Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 4th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 5th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 6th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 7th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Portage Area Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	85 Mountain Ave	Portage	15946	Cambria County	Portage Area School District	No	No	No	No	(814) 736-9636	359	26	13.9	34.0%	349 (97.2%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.1%)	61.2	283^rd of 674 public high schools	58.0%		59.6	297^th of 634 public high schools	53.2%	14	37.0	61.8	59.4					41.3	33.3	36.8		71.7	71.7					62.3	68.3	65.7	$16,206	$5,218	$10,988
Portage Area Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	84 Mountain Ave	Portage	15946	Cambria County	Portage Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(814) 736-9636	448	36	12.4	54.5%	418 (93.3%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.5%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.8%)	81.7	248^th of 1534 public elementary schools	83.8%		81.5	261^st of 1534 public elementary schools	83.0%	13				77.5	73.3	49.0	50.7			62.0	93.3		93.3	67.4	71.7	73.6	73.2			71.7	$14,864	$1,876	$12,988

Cities Near Portage

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Lilly	3.8 mi	2	374^th
Sidman	5.51 mi	2	255^th
Ebensburg	6.97 mi	4	382^nd
Cresson	7.47 mi	2	88^th
Johnstown	8.65 mi	15	486^th

See the top PA Pennsylvania cities

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