High Schools in Portland Public Schools

Portland High School is the sole high school in the Portland Public Schools district, serving grades 9-12 with 665 students in Portland, Michigan. For parents, this means all high school students in the district attend one school, which offers a clear picture of what to expect academically and socially.

Portland High School stands out for keeping students on track to graduate. Its graduation rate of 89.5% beats the state average of 84.0%, and its dropout rate of just 1.7% is dramatically lower than the state's 7.1%—a strong sign that students feel supported and connected. The school has also improved its state ranking from the 41st percentile in 2023-2024 to the 59th percentile in 2025-2026, earning a 3-star rating. Academically, the school shows a clear split: English Language Arts is a definite strength, especially in 9th grade where 74% of students are proficient compared to 60.2% statewide, and 10th-grade PSAT ELA also exceeds state averages. Science is another bright spot, with 45.9% of 11th graders proficient versus 35.2% statewide. However, math is a persistent challenge—only 19.5% of 11th graders are proficient in SAT math, well below the state's 26.5%, and 10th-grade PSAT math also lags by over 9 points.

Parents should also note some volatility in test scores year to year. SAT reading/writing proficiency dropped sharply from 60.1% to 47.0% between 2024-2025 and 2025-2026, while social studies fell from 42.4% to 35.1%. Chronic absenteeism is slightly above the state average at 29.2%, even though the district's own rate is lower at 20.5%—this suggests attendance may be an issue even for students who ultimately graduate. With 28.72% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch and a student-teacher ratio of 18.8:1, class sizes are moderate. Per-student spending of $13,426 is reasonable, but the combination of larger classes and weak math scores may point to a need for more targeted math support. Overall, Portland High School offers a supportive environment with strong graduation outcomes and ELA performance, but families should be aware of the math gap and year-over-year score swings when evaluating academic preparation.