Summary:
Zip code 96122 in Portola, California, is served by two high schools within the Plumas Unified district, a junior/senior high and a continuation school, collectively educating about 271 students in grades 7-12.
The main comprehensive school, Portola Junior/Senior High, shows a notable strength with an 88.4% graduation rate that exceeds both district and state averages. However, its academic performance is inconsistent, with 11th grade English being relatively strong but mathematics proficiency being a significant challenge across all grades, lagging far behind state averages. The school also contends with a chronic absenteeism rate of 37.4%, which is nearly double the district rate. In contrast, the much smaller Beckwourth (Jim) High (Continuation), serving about 15 at-risk students, faces extreme attendance challenges, with 95.7% of its students chronically absent, and it has not received a recent state ranking.
Financially, Beckwourth High operates with significantly higher per-student spending than Portola, reflecting the intensive resources often required for alternative education. Both schools operate in a district ranked in the bottom quartile statewide, indicating broader systemic challenges. For parents, the area presents a mixed picture: strong graduation support at the main high school is a positive, but significant hurdles in mathematics achievement and student attendance are critical areas of concern that impact learning.
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