Summary:
ZIP code 53901 contains seven schools serving students from kindergarten through 12th grade — three elementary, one middle, and three high schools — with a combined enrollment of 1,776 students. Six of them belong to Portage Community School District, which ranks 244th of 432 Wisconsin districts (44th percentile, 2 stars), while DOC: Columbia Correctional Institution belongs to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.
Lewiston Elementary is the clear standout: the only 3-star school here, at the 68th percentile in 2025–2026, up from the 49th and 46th in the two prior years. Its chronic absenteeism is 4.8% versus 20.4% districtwide and 17.3% statewide, and its free/reduced-lunch rate of 26.19% and per-student spending of $13,706 are the lowest among Portage schools. Test results are strong, including 100% proficient in 3rd-grade math and above-state results in 4th- and 5th-grade math and 3rd- and 5th-grade ELA. With only 84 students, though, grade-level figures rest on small cohorts. Portage High, the largest school at 600 students, posts a 97.8% graduation rate (district 94.9%, state 92.0%) and a 0.5% dropout rate, but all four of its reported 2025–2026 subject areas fell below state averages.
Absenteeism is the area’s biggest shared challenge: Wayne Bartels Middle (25.4%), Muir Elementary (22.6%), and Woodridge Elementary (22.5%) all exceed the district and state rates. Portage Academy of Achievement, with just 24 students, reports 0.0% absenteeism and 12.5% free/reduced lunch but a 75.0% graduation rate, 3.1% dropout rate, and a 24:1 student/teacher ratio. Woodridge serves only K–1, so it has no state test data despite the highest spending at $18,476.
Thank you for your feedback!