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Clay High School

Q: Is Clay High School a good school?

Clay High School ranks 441 st of 795 Ohio high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

441^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 795 Ohio High Schools

Better than 45% of Ohio high schools

Summary

Clay High School is a small public high school in Portsmouth, Ohio, serving about 145 students in grades 9–12 in the Clay Local district, in a high-poverty part of Scioto County. In 2025-26 it ranked 441st of 795 Ohio high schools (45th percentile, 2 stars) — its best showing since 2020-21 and up from 541/855 (37th percentile) in 2024-25 and 561/864 (35th) in 2023-24, though still below its 2015-16 peak of 63rd percentile and 3 stars. The Clay Local district ranks 438th of 773 districts (43rd percentile, 2 stars), ahead of Green Local, Minford Local, Washington-Nile Local and Portsmouth City, but behind Bloom-Vernon Local, Wheelersburg Local, Valley Local and Northwest Local.

Two strengths stand out. Clay's 2025-26 graduation rate is 100%, tied with Wheelersburg High School, Northwest High School and Glenwood High School, and above Valley High School, Green High School, South Webster Junior/Senior High School, Minford High School, Portsmouth West High School and Portsmouth Junior High School/Portsmouth High School. Its low-income subgroup ranked 266th of 761 schools (65th percentile, 3 stars), higher than the school overall. American History was a bright spot at 89.2% (state 73.2%), second locally only to Wheelersburg, with English II at 67.5% and Government at 73.9% at or above state. At 145 students, Clay is the smallest traditional high school nearby and has the lowest student-teacher ratio, 10.3.

The main challenges are attendance and math/science. Chronic absenteeism is 30.5%, above the district's 21.4% in every year on record and higher than most nearby schools, including Wheelersburg (9.2%), Green (14.5%) and Northwest (27.6%), though lower than Minford (35.5%) and Portsmouth (45.3%). Poverty is high at 64.14% free/reduced lunch. Biology (63.2%), Geometry (36.8%) and Algebra I (57.9%) all fall below state averages, with Geometry below state every year in the data, while South Webster and Wheelersburg score much higher in these subjects. Large one-year gains in American History and Algebra I drove this year's improvement, but Biology and Geometry slipped.

145

Students ?

10.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$18,670

Per pupil spending ?

64.1%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

44 Clay High St
Portsmouth, OH 45662-8817

(740) 354-6644

District: Clay Local

Feeder schools for Clay High School:

Elementary:	Clay Elementary School
Middle:	Clay Middle School

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.7%

Two or more races:

5.5%

Hispanic:

1.4%

See top rated Ohio high schools

Compare Clay High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 63rd percentile in 2016 → 45th in 2026

Strengths

✓100% graduate within 4 years

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 18 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school65%

District avg65%

Ohio avg63%

441^st of 795

Ohio public high schools ?

Bottom 45%▼ down 19 pts since 2016

From top 37% (2016) to bottom 45% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Ohio High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

438^th of 773Clay Local among Ohio districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Ohio percentile	Rating
2026	47.9	441 of 795	44.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	42.3	541 of 855	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	38.5	561 of 864	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	45.3	505 of 867	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	41.1	529 of 836	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	47.9	440 of 819	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	53.2	432 of 836	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	39.6	566 of 800	29.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	44.3	462 of 773	40.2%	★★☆☆☆
2016	60.5	288 of 784	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2015	51.7	470 of 778	39.6%	★★☆☆☆
2014	51.2	512 of 769	33.4%	★★☆☆☆
2013	50.7	532 of 767	30.6%	★★☆☆☆
2012	58.7	486 of 832	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2011	58.3	480 of 818	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2010	61.9	394 of 819	51.9%	★★★☆☆
2009	64.8	319 of 791	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2008	59.2	405 of 767	47.2%	★★☆☆☆
2007	48.3	529 of 756	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2006	61.3	304 of 696	56.3%	★★★☆☆
2005	31.4	561 of 689	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	66.0	253 of 681	62.8%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Ohio percentile	Rating
2021	41.8	317 of 596	46.8%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Ohio percentile	Rating
2026	49.8	450 of 763	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	27.9	626 of 809	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	32.5	580 of 798	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	46.0	504 of 813	38.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	40.7	521 of 794	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	45.2	473 of 775	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	42.4	557 of 781	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	31.9	565 of 751	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Ohio percentile	Rating
2019	35.4	224 of 272	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Ohio percentile	Rating
2026	63.5	266 of 761	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	43.1	534 of 815	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	48.2	462 of 822	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	52.3	420 of 805	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	44.8	466 of 773	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	60.9	260 of 763	65.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	65.5	248 of 779	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	38.7	518 of 758	31.7%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Ohio percentile	Rating
2026	56.2	391 of 765	48.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	55.9	407 of 817	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	45.7	491 of 816	39.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	43.4	517 of 819	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	38.5	542 of 808	32.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	47.6	427 of 778	45.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	52.5	438 of 792	44.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	29.3	580 of 763	24.0%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Ohio percentile	Rating
2026	40.6	483 of 709	31.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	32.5	562 of 748	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	33.2	552 of 754	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	39.7	506 of 756	33.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	32.4	553 of 749	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	40.7	449 of 727	38.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	42.8	494 of 739	33.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	20.7	601 of 718	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)65th percentile+21 vs school

Male (2026)49th percentile+4 vs school

Disabled (2021)47th percentile~ school

Female (2026)41st percentile-4 vs school

White (2026)32nd percentile-13 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2019)18th percentile-31 vs school

By subject vs Ohio (2025-2026) ?

American History89%+16 vs state

American Government74%~ state avg

English II68%+5 vs state

Biology63%-4 vs state

Algebra I58%-4 vs state

Geometry37%-6 vs state

★

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Schools Near Clay High School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				Ohio State Tests Science (2026)	Ohio State Tests American Government (2026)	Ohio State Tests American History (2026)	Ohio State Tests Mathematics (2026)		Ohio State Tests English Language Arts (2026)		Ohio State Tests Biology (2026)	Ohio State Tests English II (2026)	Ohio State Tests Geometry (2026)	Ohio State Tests Integrated Math I (2026)	Ohio State Tests Integrated Math II (2026)	Ohio State Tests Algebra I (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Directly certified (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Ohio State Tests Science 8th Grade	Ohio State Tests American Government End of Course	Ohio State Tests American History End of Course	Ohio State Tests Mathematics 7th Grade	Ohio State Tests Mathematics 8th Grade	Ohio State Tests English Language Arts 7th Grade	Ohio State Tests English Language Arts 8th Grade	Ohio State Tests Biology End of Course	Ohio State Tests English II End of Course	Ohio State Tests Geometry End of Course	Ohio State Tests Integrated Math I End of Course	Ohio State Tests Integrated Math II End of Course	Ohio State Tests Algebra I End of Course	Total
Clay High School	Public	9-12	44 Clay High St	Portsmouth	45662	Scioto County	Clay Local	No	(n/a)	No	No	(740) 354-6644	145	14	10.3	—	133 (91.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.4%)	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (5.5%)	47.9	441^st of 795 public high schools	44.5%		42.3	541^st of 855 public high schools	36.7%	100		73.9	89.2					63.2	67.5	36.8			57.9	$18,670
Scioto County Career Technical Center	Public	7-12	951 Vern Riffe Dr	Lucasville	45648	Scioto County	Scioto County Joint Vocational School	No	(n/a)	No	No	(740) 259-5522	549	47	11.6	70.5%	517 (94.2%)	3 (0.5%)	11 (2.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.1%)								(n/a)
Glenwood High School	Public	7-12	#1 Glenwood Tiger Trail	New Boston	45662	Scioto County	New Boston Local	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(740) 456-4559	147	14	10.5	51.0%	122 (83.0%)	1 (0.7%)	7 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (11.6%)	45.2	475^th of 795 public high schools	40.3%		52.4	442^nd of 855 public high schools	48.3%	33	76.0	68.4	85.7	25.8	52.0	48.4	60.0	69.2	67.9	21.4			63.6	$16,542
Portsmouth Junior High School/Portsmouth High School	Public	7-12	1225 Gallia St	Portsmouth	45662	Scioto County	Portsmouth City	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(740) 353-2398	636	45	14.0	60.8%	427 (67.1%)	48 (7.5%)	55 (8.6%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	101 (15.9%)	32.3	579^th of 795 public high schools	27.2%		35.7	601^st of 855 public high schools	29.7%	22	24.4	74.2	81.0	17.6	17.0	42.7	41.6	40.7	53.0	41.2			23.9	$12,258
Valley High School	Public	9-12	1821 State Route 728	Lucasville	45648	Scioto County	Valley Local	No	(n/a)	No	No	(740) 259-5551	279	21	13.2	—	260 (93.2%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (5.4%)	55.5	355^th of 795 public high schools	55.3%		56.8	381^st of 855 public high schools	55.4%	26		77.3	83.8					77.6	75.0	23.2			73.4	$14,570
Portsmouth West High School	Public	9-12	15332 Us Highway 52	West Portsmouth	45663	Scioto County	Washington-Nile Local	No	(n/a)	No	No	(740) 858-1103	331	16	20.6	42.9%	311 (94.0%)	3 (0.9%)	7 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	8 (2.4%)	35.4	558^th of 795 public high schools	29.8%		49	482^nd of 855 public high schools	43.6%	76		80.7	76.8					60.0	66.3	38.8	0.0	0.0	40.0	$15,357
Northwest High School	Public	9-12	914 Mohawk Dr	Mc Dermott	45652	Scioto County	Northwest Local	No	(n/a)	No	No	(740) 259-2366	313	21	14.9	51.4%	303 (96.8%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.9%)	55.7	352^nd of 795 public high schools	55.7%		67.8	220^th of 855 public high schools	74.3%	132		80.2	84.7					85.7	65.9	32.5			64.8	$17,091
Minford High School	Public	9-12	491 Bond Rd	Minford	45653	Scioto County	Minford Local	No	(n/a)	No	No	(740) 820-3445	295	17	17.3	52.9%	293 (99.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	35.7	556^th of 795 public high schools	30.1%		42.3	542^nd of 855 public high schools	36.6%	14		77.2	66.2					57.1	56.3	47.2		2.6	57.8	$12,092
Wheelersburg High School	Public	9-12	800 Pirate Dr	Wheelersburg	45694	Scioto County	Wheelersburg Local	No	(n/a)	No	No	(740) 574-2527	457	17	26.8	—	422 (92.3%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (3.1%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (3.9%)	68.6	168^th of 795 public high schools	78.9%		64.9	261^st of 855 public high schools	69.5%	93		82.1	94.4					81.0	88.6	46.3			72.0	$10,180
South Webster Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	10529 Main St	South Webster	45682	Scioto County	Bloom-Vernon Local	No	(n/a)	No	No	(740) 778-2320	332	22	15.0	50.0%	326 (98.2%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	65.5	212^th of 795 public high schools	73.3%		62.8	289^th of 855 public high schools	66.2%	77	89.1	81.4	86.7	85.7	87.5	81.0	81.3	81.4	68.3	47.5			88.7	$14,133

Frequently Asked Questions about Clay High School

What schools feed into Clay High School?

Clay High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Clay Elementary School
Middle : Clay Middle School

How many students attend Clay High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 145 students attended Clay High School.

What district is Clay High School in?

Clay Local

What is the racial makeup of Clay High School?

Students at Clay High School are 92% White, 6% Two or more races, 1% Hispanic.

Is Clay High School a good school?

Clay High School ranks 441^st of 795 Ohio high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Clay High School!

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Latest Ohio data All new data »

2017–18 through 2025–26 immunization ratesNewOct 19, 2026

2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesSep 15, 2026

2025–26 Ohio State Tests scoresSep 15, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJan 6, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Ohio 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.