Portsmouth High School

Summary:

Portsmouth High School is a public high school serving 796 students in grades 9-12, located in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, which is part of the Portsmouth District. This high-performing school consistently ranks among the top 5 high schools in the state, with exceptional student achievement across various standardized tests.

Portsmouth High School stands out for its consistently high statewide ranking, with a ranking of 5 out of 61 schools in the 2023-2024 school year. The school's students demonstrate exceptional academic performance, with significantly higher proficiency rates compared to state averages in SAT/English Language Arts, SAT/Mathematics, PSAT10/English Language Arts, and PSAT10/Mathematics. The school also serves a diverse student population, ranking highly in the state for female students, male students, Hispanic students, and multi-racial students, indicating its ability to effectively support students from various backgrounds.

Compared to nearby high schools, such as East Greenwich High, Barrington High, and North Kingstown Senior High, Portsmouth High School consistently outperforms these schools on standardized test scores and statewide rankings, solidifying its position as a top-performing school in the region. While the school has opportunities for improvement in certain areas, such as the performance of white students and special education students, its overall strong performance and focus on supporting diverse student populations make it an excellent choice for families in the area.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 120 Education Lane
       Portsmouth, RI  02871


(401) 683-2124

District: Portsmouth

SchoolDigger Rank:
5th of 61 Rhode Island High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,227 Help


Feeder schools for Portsmouth High School:

Elementary:    Howard Hathaway School
    Melville School
Middle:    Portsmouth Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  11.4 Help
Number of students:  796

Racial breakdown:

White:
87.8%
Hispanic:
5.9%
Two or more races:
2.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  14.1% Help


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 Compare Portsmouth High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Portsmouth High School ranks better than 91.8% of high schools in Rhode Island. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 88.26. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (87.8%), Hispanic (5.9%), two or more races (2.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 14.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Portsmouth High School is 11.4. (See more...)
Help
Compare Portsmouth High School employs 69.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Portsmouth High School is $17,227.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Portsmouth High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Portsmouth High School 5th of 61 Rhode Island public high schools. (See Portsmouth 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:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Portsmouth:

SchoolDigger ranks Portsmouth 5th of 60 Rhode Island school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Portsmouth High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Portsmouth High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools RI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 86.24 6th 49 87.8%
2010 87.61 7th 50 86.0%
2011 84.87 3rd 45 93.3%
2012 81.99 10th 45 77.8%
2013 79.24 10th 45 77.8%
2014 85.24 3rd 47 93.6%
2015 72.96 8th 56 85.7%
2016 62.03 13th 57 77.2%
2017 76.54 10th 56 82.1%
2018 87.55 7th 57 87.7%
2019 91.50 5th 59 91.5%
2021 93.91 5th 59 91.5%
2022 91.37 4th 59 93.2%
2023 88.68 5th 60 91.7%
2024 88.26 5th 61 91.8%
See the entire list of Rhode Island High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Portsmouth High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools RI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 75.67 5th 21 76.2%
2024 80.88 4th 25 84.0%
See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Portsmouth High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools RI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 87.13 1st 29 96.6%
2023 61.87 10th 30 66.7%
2024 76.27 3rd 30 90.0%
See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools RI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 85.06 4th 54 92.6%
2023 79.37 8th 58 86.2%
2024 76.02 6th 58 89.7%
See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Portsmouth High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools RI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 89.53 5th 58 91.4%
2023 89.95 3rd 59 94.9%
2024 86.35 6th 56 89.3%
See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Portsmouth High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools RI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 74.30 1st 4 75.0%
2023 79.37 1st 4 75.0%
2024 73.97 1st 3 66.7%
See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Portsmouth High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools RI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 91.97 4th 54 92.6%
2023 85.49 5th 56 91.1%
2024 85.22 6th 57 89.5%
See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Portsmouth High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools RI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 97.48 2nd 49 95.9%
2023 97.46 1st 53 98.1%
2024 82.10 5th 54 90.7%
See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Portsmouth High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools RI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 85.04 5th 42 88.1%
2023 76.99 6th 43 86.0%
2024 78.50 7th 43 83.7%
See the entire list of Best Rhode Island High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Rhode Island 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.

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





Data source: Rhode Island Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
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100%

  

by a parent
Thursday, May 11, 2017

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Enrollment information for Portsmouth High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 793 10 9 5 0 n/a n/a 0 817
1989 754 8 11 4 0 n/a n/a 0 777
1990 727 5 3 2 n/a n/a n/a 0 737
1991 726 15 11 4 0 n/a n/a 0 756
1992 756 7 4 5 0 n/a n/a 0 772
1993 727 11 9 9 1 n/a n/a 0 757
1994 735 15 6 8 0 n/a n/a 0 764
1995 731 12 12 8 0 n/a n/a 0 763
1996 731 12 12 8 0 n/a n/a 0 763
1997 746 10 9 6 1 n/a n/a 0 772
1998 760 13 7 6 0 n/a n/a 0 786
1999 771 14 14 7 0 n/a n/a 0 806
2000 788 14 13 5 0 n/a n/a 0 820
2001 783 11 22 3 1 n/a n/a 0 820
2002 879 14 25 3 0 n/a n/a 0 921
2003 879 14 25 3 0 n/a n/a 0 921
2004 929 12 23 11 1 n/a n/a 0 976
2005 988 14 22 18 1 n/a n/a 0 1043
2006 1035 11 15 16 1 n/a n/a 0 1078
2007 1035 14 18 15 3 n/a n/a 0 1085
2008 989 16 17 15 2 n/a n/a 0 1039
2009 984 28 18 14 2 n/a n/a 0 1046
2010 940 25 30 5 6 n/a n/a 0 1006
2011 924 24 24 35 4 0 9 0 1020
2012 915 24 26 31 6 0 8 0 1010
2013 896 26 22 21 5 0 4 0 974
2014 880 26 20 25 4 0 5 0 960
2015 846 18 13 24 3 2 13 0 919
2016 804 14 19 25 1 2 14 0 879
2017 830 15 10 29 3 0 15 0 902
2018 819 13 10 29 1 1 15 0 888
2019 853 11 13 24 3 0 15 0 919
2020 846 14 14 29 3 0 15 0 921
2021 768 18 18 33 2 0 22 0 861
2022 722 14 14 40 4 1 29 0 824
2023 699 9 13 47 2 1 22 3 796

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 Portsmouth High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 817 n/a n/a 1.2
1989 777 n/a n/a 1.4
1990 737 n/a n/a 1.8
1991 756 64.4 11.7 1.6
1992 772 73.0 10.5 2.6
1993 757 61.7 12.3 2.6
1994 764 61.0 12.5 1
1995 763 65.4 11.7 3.1
1996 763 65.4 11.7 3.1
1997 772 65.5 11.8 3.5
1998 786 62.5 12.6 0
1999 806 66.0 12.2 0
2000 820 70.0 11.7 0
2001 820 68.5 12.0 0
2002 921 n/a n/a 6.8
2003 921 n/a n/a 6.8
2004 976 64.0 15.3 4
2005 1043 80.8 12.9 5.9
2006 1078 89.0 12.1 4.6
2007 1085 84.6 12.8 6.4
2008 1039 65.6 15.8 9.3
2009 1046 88.6 10.7 9.6
2010 1006 84.0 11.9 11
2011 1020 88.0 11.5 11.3
2012 1010 91.0 11.0 11.4
2013 974 77.6 12.5 11.3
2014 960 78.8 12.1 11.9
2015 919 74.0 12.4 12.9
2016 879 80.0 10.9 13
2017 902 76.0 11.8 12.5
2018 888 71.9 12.3 15.5
2019 919 71.4 12.8 9.7
2020 921 73.0 12.6 14.5
2021 861 70.0 12.3 12.1
2022 824 70.4 11.7 7
2023 796 69.4 11.4 14.1

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 Portsmouth High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 817 n/a n/a 1.2
1989 777 n/a n/a 1.4
1990 737 n/a n/a 1.8
1991 756 64.4 11.7 1.6
1992 772 73.0 10.5 2.6
1993 757 61.7 12.3 2.6
1994 764 61.0 12.5 1
1995 763 65.4 11.7 3.1
1996 763 65.4 11.7 3.1
1997 772 65.5 11.8 3.5
1998 786 62.5 12.6 0
1999 806 66.0 12.2 0
2000 820 70.0 11.7 0
2001 820 68.5 12.0 0
2002 921 n/a n/a 6.8
2003 921 n/a n/a 6.8
2004 976 64.0 15.3 4
2005 1043 80.8 12.9 5.9
2006 1078 89.0 12.1 4.6
2007 1085 84.6 12.8 6.4
2008 1039 65.6 15.8 9.3
2009 1046 88.6 10.7 9.6
2010 1006 84.0 11.9 11
2011 1020 88.0 11.5 11.3
2012 1010 91.0 11.0 11.4
2013 974 77.6 12.5 11.3
2014 960 78.8 12.1 11.9
2015 919 74.0 12.4 12.9
2016 879 80.0 10.9 13
2017 902 76.0 11.8 12.5
2018 888 71.9 12.3 15.5
2019 919 71.4 12.8 9.7
2020 921 73.0 12.6 14.5
2021 861 70.0 12.3 12.1
2022 824 70.4 11.7 7
2023 796 69.4 11.4 14.1

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 Portsmouth High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018 $128 (0.8%) $15,173 (99.2%) $15,301
2019 $121 (0.8%) $14,855 (99.2%) $14,977
2020 $131 (0.9%) $14,607 (99.1%) $14,738
2021 $422 (2.4%) $16,805 (97.6%) $17,227

Data source: Rhode Island Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Portsmouth 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 5th of 59 High schoolsRanks 5th of 60 High schools
 0.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Portsmouth High School)83.173.2
 9.9%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Portsmouth)82.473.3
 9.1%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Rhode Island)60.155.3
 4.8%
10th Grade Mathematics (Portsmouth High School)59.146.4
 12.7%
   10th Grade Mathematics (Portsmouth)58.646.7
 11.9%
   10th Grade Mathematics (Rhode Island)3127.2
 3.8%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Portsmouth High School)74.771.3
 3.4%
   11th Grade English Language Arts (Portsmouth)74.470.5
 3.9%
   11th Grade English Language Arts (Rhode Island)50.549.1
 1.4%
11th Grade Mathematics (Portsmouth High School)56.544.3
 12.2%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Portsmouth)56.344
 12.3%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Rhode Island)31.225.3
 5.9%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students919796
 13.4%
African American119
 18.2%
American Indian32
 33.3%
Asian1313
Hispanic2447
 95.8%
Pacific Islander01
White853699
 18.1%
Two or More Races1522
 46.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients9.7%14.1%
 4.4%


Schools Near Portsmouth High School









Frequently Asked Questions about Portsmouth High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 796 students attended Portsmouth High School.

Students at Portsmouth High School are 88% White, 6% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 2% Asian, 1% African American.

Yes. Portsmouth High School ranks in the top 8.2% of Rhode Island high schools.

Portsmouth High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Howard Hathaway School
Elementary : Melville School
Middle : Portsmouth Middle 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 Rhode Island 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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