Summary:
Portland, Michigan is served by a single high school, Portland High School, which enrolls 665 students in grades 9-12 as part of Portland Public Schools.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that Portland High School is a solid, improving school that has climbed from the 41st to the 59th percentile in state rankings over the past two years. The school excels in keeping students on track: its graduation rate of 89.5% is 5.5 points above the state average, and its dropout rate of just 1.7% is remarkably low. Academically, the school is a standout in science, with 45.9% of 11th graders proficient on the M-Step, well above the state's 35.2%. However, math is a clear weakness—only 19.5% of 11th graders are proficient on the SAT Math, compared to 26.5% statewide, and 10th graders also lag by 9.4 points on the PSAT. The school also shows a troubling pattern in English: 9th graders outperform the state by 13.8 points, but by 11th grade, students fall 5.1 points below the state average on SAT Reading & Writing.
One of the most concerning issues is chronic absenteeism. Despite strong graduation rates, 29.2% of students are chronically absent—higher than both the district's 20.5% and the state's 27.9%. This suggests many students are disengaged day-to-day even if they ultimately finish. Additionally, test scores have been volatile year-over-year, with a dramatic 13-point drop in SAT Reading & Writing from 2024-2025 to 2025-2026. With per-student spending of $13,426 and a student-teacher ratio of 18.8:1, the school has moderate resources. Parents should watch whether the school addresses its math gaps and absenteeism, while celebrating its strong science program and excellent student retention.
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