Portage Area Junior/Senior High School

Summary:

Portage Area Junior/Senior High School is a public high school serving grades 7-12 in Portage, Pennsylvania, with a student population of 359. The school is part of the Portage Area School District, which is ranked 117 out of 606 districts in Pennsylvania and has a 4-star rating.

Portage Area Junior/Senior High School stands out for its strong academic performance, outperforming the state average in several key test score metrics, including PSSA/Science, PSSA/English Language Arts, and Keystone Exams/Biology. The school also has consistently high four-year graduation rates, ranging from 87.1% to 95.7% over the past five years. However, when compared to nearby schools like Richland High School, Portage Area Junior/Senior High School is not the top-performing school in the surrounding area.

While Portage Area Junior/Senior High School has a significantly higher percentage of white students (97.21%) compared to the surrounding schools, it also has a relatively high percentage of students (33.98% in 2022-2023) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, which is a proxy for low socioeconomic status. This is higher than some of the nearby schools, such as Richland High School (26.01%) and Windber Area High School (32.23%). Additionally, the school's statewide ranking has declined over the past several years, from a high of 128 out of 663 Pennsylvania high schools in 2016-2017 to 283 out of 674 in 2022-2023, suggesting that it may be struggling to keep pace with improvements in other schools across the state.


Detail:

Public 7-12

 85 Mountain Ave
       Portage, PA  15946-1800


(814) 736-9636

District: Portage Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
283rd of 674 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,206 Help


Feeder schools for Portage Area Junior/Senior High School:

Elementary:    Portage Area Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.9 Help
Number of students:  359

Racial breakdown:

White:
97.2%
Two or more races:
1.1%
African American:
0.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  34% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Portage Area Junior/Senior High School ranks better than 81.7% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 78.45. (See more...)
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Compare Details Portage Area Junior/Senior High School ranks better than 58% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 61.18. (See more...)
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The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Portage Area Junior/Senior High School freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (97.2%), two or more races (1.1%), African American (0.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 34% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Portage Area Junior/Senior High School is 13.9. (See more...)
Help
Compare Portage Area Junior/Senior High School employs 25.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Portage Area Junior/Senior High School is $16,206.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Portage Area Junior/Senior High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Portage Area Junior/Senior High School 163rd of 893 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Portage Area Junior/Senior High School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Portage Area Junior/Senior High School 283rd of 674 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Portage Area Junior/Senior High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Disabled students:
White students:


Portage Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Portage Area School District 117th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Portage Area Junior/Senior High School

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Compare

Rank History for all middle school students at Portage Area Junior/Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 56.27 341st 643 47.0%
2004 45.52 450th 663 32.1%
2005 42.78 472nd 687 31.3%
2006 41.79 498th 736 32.3%
2007 34.36 570th 749 23.9%
2008 54.46 410th 753 45.6%
2009 47.41 503rd 770 34.7%
2010 51.95 493rd 805 38.8%
2011 76.29 165th 825 80.0%
2012 78.05 155th 834 81.4%
2013 78.36 133rd 758 82.5%
2014 69.08 250th 728 65.7%
2015 60.64 338th 835 59.5%
2016 61.42 356th 870 59.1%
2017 66.86 279th 877 68.2%
2018 78.43 160th 861 81.4%
2019 62.25 359th 891 59.7%
2021 69.22 214th 797 73.1%
2022 65.75 294th 883 66.7%
2023 78.45 163rd 893 81.7%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Portage Area Junior/Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 78.97 111th 874 87.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Portage Area Junior/Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 62.30 221st 681 67.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for Portage Area Junior/Senior High School

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Compare

Rank History for all high school students at Portage Area Junior/Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 69.57 172nd 583 70.5%
2004 69.32 187th 590 68.3%
2005 76.56 116th 593 80.4%
2006 62.92 255th 604 57.8%
2007 57.34 324th 615 47.3%
2008 68.68 183rd 621 70.5%
2009 73.90 151st 632 76.1%
2010 77.01 119th 649 81.7%
2011 67.44 239th 660 63.8%
2012 65.55 255th 664 61.6%
2014 58.23 281st 580 51.6%
2015 71.45 212th 680 68.8%
2016 75.29 166th 677 75.5%
2017 78.28 128th 663 80.7%
2018 67.63 287th 673 57.4%
2019 73.20 196th 693 71.7%
2022 59.61 297th 634 53.2%
2023 61.18 283rd 674 58.0%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Portage Area Junior/Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 60.16 261st 652 60.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for high school Disabled students at Portage Area Junior/Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 47.00 227th 502 54.8%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for high school White students at Portage Area Junior/Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 46.73 316th 577 45.2%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania 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 Area Junior/Senior High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for Portage Area Junior/Senior High School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 542 0 4 0 0 n/a n/a 0 546
1989 539 0 0 0 3 n/a n/a 0 542
1990 521 4 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 525
1991 514 0 4 0 0 n/a n/a 0 518
1992 513 0 4 1 0 n/a n/a 0 518
1993 502 0 2 3 0 n/a n/a 0 507
1994 517 0 3 5 0 n/a n/a 0 525
1995 502 1 4 2 0 n/a n/a 0 509
1996 502 1 4 2 0 n/a n/a 0 509
1997 481 1 4 2 0 n/a n/a 0 488
1998 446 1 3 2 0 n/a n/a 0 452
1999 438 2 1 3 0 n/a n/a 0 444
2000 423 0 4 1 0 n/a n/a 0 428
2001 408 1 3 1 0 n/a n/a 0 413
2002 435 1 3 1 0 n/a n/a 0 440
2003 435 1 3 1 0 n/a n/a 0 440
2004 415 0 2 0 1 n/a n/a 0 418
2005 425 0 1 1 1 n/a n/a 0 428
2006 390 0 0 3 1 n/a n/a 0 394
2007 385 2 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 389
2008 439 2 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 442
2009 413 2 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 416
2010 402 3 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 406
2011 388 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 391
2012 360 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 361
2013 376 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 378
2014 389 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 392
2015 401 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 405
2016 403 4 0 1 0 0 1 0 409
2017 410 5 0 1 0 0 1 0 417
2018 425 5 0 3 0 0 1 0 434
2019 427 5 0 4 0 0 2 0 438
2020 400 4 1 1 0 0 3 0 409
2021 386 5 1 2 0 0 4 0 398
2022 386 4 2 2 0 0 5 0 399
2023 349 3 2 1 0 0 4 0 359

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 Area Junior/Senior High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 546 38.5 14.1 n/a
1989 542 36.0 15.0 n/a
1990 525 35.0 15.0 0
1991 518 36.0 14.3 n/a
1992 518 39.0 13.2 n/a
1993 507 33.0 15.4 n/a
1994 525 30.0 17.5 n/a
1995 509 31.5 16.2 n/a
1996 509 31.5 16.2 n/a
1997 488 33.5 14.6 n/a
1998 452 32.5 13.9 n/a
1999 444 31.5 14.1 n/a
2000 428 30.5 14.0 34.6
2001 413 29.0 14.2 39.5
2002 440 29.5 14.9 42.3
2003 440 29.5 14.9 42.3
2004 418 31.5 13.3 43.3
2005 428 31.5 13.6 43.5
2006 394 31.0 12.7 43.4
2007 389 30.0 13.0 37.5
2008 442 28.4 15.6 65.8
2009 416 29.0 14.3 41.8
2010 406 28.8 14.0 43.8
2011 391 29.9 13.0 47.3
2012 361 29.9 12.0 48.5
2013 378 28.6 13.2 46.8
2014 392 28.3 13.8 57.7
2015 405 28.0 14.4 52.6
2016 409 30.0 13.6 50.4
2017 417 29.0 14.3 49.9
2018 434 28.9 15.0 30
2019 438 27.8 15.7 37.4
2020 409 29.0 14.0 40.3
2021 398 26.3 15.0 41.5
2022 399 27.0 14.7 38.3
2023 359 25.7 13.9 34

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 Area Junior/Senior High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 546 38.5 14.1 n/a
1989 542 36.0 15.0 n/a
1990 525 35.0 15.0 0
1991 518 36.0 14.3 n/a
1992 518 39.0 13.2 n/a
1993 507 33.0 15.4 n/a
1994 525 30.0 17.5 n/a
1995 509 31.5 16.2 n/a
1996 509 31.5 16.2 n/a
1997 488 33.5 14.6 n/a
1998 452 32.5 13.9 n/a
1999 444 31.5 14.1 n/a
2000 428 30.5 14.0 34.6
2001 413 29.0 14.2 39.5
2002 440 29.5 14.9 42.3
2003 440 29.5 14.9 42.3
2004 418 31.5 13.3 43.3
2005 428 31.5 13.6 43.5
2006 394 31.0 12.7 43.4
2007 389 30.0 13.0 37.5
2008 442 28.4 15.6 65.8
2009 416 29.0 14.3 41.8
2010 406 28.8 14.0 43.8
2011 391 29.9 13.0 47.3
2012 361 29.9 12.0 48.5
2013 378 28.6 13.2 46.8
2014 392 28.3 13.8 57.7
2015 405 28.0 14.4 52.6
2016 409 30.0 13.6 50.4
2017 417 29.0 14.3 49.9
2018 434 28.9 15.0 30
2019 438 27.8 15.7 37.4
2020 409 29.0 14.0 40.3
2021 398 26.3 15.0 41.5
2022 399 27.0 14.7 38.3
2023 359 25.7 13.9 34

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 Area Junior/Senior High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $572 (4.2%) $13,083 (95.8%) $13,655
2020 $610 (4.3%) $13,654 (95.7%) $14,264
2021 $1,198 (8.3%) $13,300 (91.7%) $14,499
2022 $5,218 (32.2%) $10,988 (67.8%) $16,206

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Portage Area Junior/Senior 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 359th of 891 Middle schoolsRanks 163rd of 893 Middle schools
 22%
Ranks 196th of 693 High schoolsRanks 283rd of 674 High schools
 13.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
7th Grade Math (Portage Area Junior/Senior High School)41.841.3
 0.5%
   7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)38.233.2
 5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Portage Area Junior/Senior High School)53.162.3
 9.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.554.5
 6%
8th Grade Math (Portage Area Junior/Senior High School)41.933.3
 8.6%
   8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)32.226
 6.2%
8th Grade Science (Portage Area Junior/Senior High School)62.971.7
 8.8%
   8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)58.257
 1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Portage Area Junior/Senior High School)55.768.3
 12.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)57.952.8
 5.1%
11th Grade Algebra I (Portage Area Junior/Senior High School)76.237
 39.2%
   11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)63.334.1
 29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Portage Area Junior/Senior High School)67.861.8
 6%
   11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)63.250.7
 12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Portage Area Junior/Senior High School)83.159.4
 23.7%
   11th Grade Literature (Pennsylvania)71.565.3
 6.2%
All Grades Math (Portage Area Junior/Senior High School)41.836.8
 5%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Portage Area Junior/Senior High School)62.971.7
 8.8%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Portage Area Junior/Senior High School)54.365.7
 11.4%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.953.8
 7.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students438359
 18%
African American53
 40%
American Indian00
Asian02
Hispanic41
 75%
Pacific Islander00
White427349
 18.3%
Two or More Races24
 100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients37.4%34%
 3.5%


Schools Near Portage Area Junior/Senior High School









Frequently Asked Questions about Portage Area Junior/Senior High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 359 students attended Portage Area Junior/Senior High School.

Portage Area Junior/Senior High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Portage Area Elementary School

Students at Portage Area Junior/Senior High School are 97% White, 1% Two or more races.

Portage Area Junior/Senior High School ranks 283rd of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.


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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.





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