Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 49024

Zip code 49024 in Portage, Michigan is home to two public middle schools—Portage West Middle School and Portage North Middle School—both serving grades 6 through 8 within the Portage Public Schools district.

For parents, the most important takeaway is that these two schools offer very different academic experiences despite being in the same district. Portage West Middle School is the clear standout, earning a 5-star rating and ranking in the top 9% of Michigan middle schools. It outperforms Portage North Middle School in nearly every subject and grade level. For example, in 7th grade English Language Arts, Portage West posts a 63% proficiency rate compared to just 34.5% at Portage North—a gap of nearly 29 percentage points. Similar disparities appear in math, where Portage West's 6th grade proficiency is 54.3% versus 36.3% at Portage North. Portage West also has a lower percentage of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds (17.4% vs. 33.8%) and lower chronic absenteeism (18.7% vs. 24.5%).

Interestingly, Portage North Middle School actually spends more per student ($15,738 vs. $13,214) and has a better student-teacher ratio (16.1:1 vs. 18.3:1), yet its academic results lag significantly. However, Portage North is improving, climbing from the 57th to the 70th percentile in state rankings over the past three years. Both schools share some strengths—notably in 8th grade PSAT English Language Arts, where even Portage North exceeds the state average by nearly 10 points. A common challenge is the "middle school dip" in math, with proficiency declining from 6th to 7th grade at both schools. For parents choosing between these schools, Portage West clearly offers stronger academics, while Portage North provides smaller classes and more resources per student, though with less impressive outcomes.