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Very Good

#1965 of 9,533 schools in CA

Top 21% in state

Portola High

High School · Irvine Unified

1001 Cadence, Irvine, CA 92618

Enrollment

2,503

Student-Teacher

26.3:1

Score

7.7

Grades

9th – 12th

Updated 2022-23

How this school compares

In Irvine

#7 of 47

public schools

California high schools

#338 of 1,892

In district

#5 of 43

Irvine Unified

Equity

9.4 / 10

Exceptional

About Portola High

Portola High serves 2,503 students in grades 9-12 in Irvine, California, earning strong academic recognition with a MySchoolScout rating of 8.0 out of 10. The school ranks in the 86th percentile statewide, placing #1297 among California's 9,566 schools, with an impressive academic score of 9.4 out of 10. Students demonstrate solid academic achievement, with 81% scoring proficient or above in English Language Arts and 68% meeting proficiency standards in mathematics.

The school operates with 95 full-time equivalent teachers, creating a student-teacher ratio of 26.3 to 1. Portola High is situated in an affluent area of Irvine where the median household income reaches $132,843 and the median home value is $1,103,600. The surrounding 92618 ZIP code community is highly educated, with 71% of residents holding bachelor's degrees or higher, while maintaining a low poverty rate of just 8.5%.

This ZIP code area serves nearly 59,386 residents. The school benefits from its location in Orange County's Irvine, a large city known for its planned communities, excellent infrastructure, and family-friendly environment that strongly values educational achievement.

What's said publicly about Portola High

Sources: Wikipedia

Synthesized from public, attributable sources. Updated April 2026.

Portola High School (PHS) is a public high school located in Irvine, California, and is one of five high schools within the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) 2 . The school's campus occupies 42 acres of land and has a capacity for approximately 2,600 students 2 . Construction milestones included a groundbreaking ceremony held in October 2014, followed by the school's official opening in August 2016 2 .
Sources (1)
  1. en.wikipedia.org
Generated by AI from public sources. Every claim is grounded in a cited source. Report inaccuracy

What Parents Should Know

Portola High is a large school with 2,503 students enrolled. Larger schools typically offer a wider range of academic programs, electives, and extracurricular activities. Parents may want to ask about how the school maintains a sense of community and ensures students don't get lost in the crowd.

The student-teacher ratio at Portola High is 26.3:1, which is higher than the national average. This may mean larger class sizes, so parents should ask about classroom support, teaching assistants, and how the school differentiates instruction for students who need extra help.

Score Breakdown

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress9.0Exceptional25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data3
Annual Change+0.62 pts/yr
Data Period2019–2024
TrendStable
Academics9.1Exceptional25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency68.3%
Reading/ELA Proficiency81.1%
Math vs. State Avg+40.3 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+25.2 pts
Overall Proficiency75%
Expected (poverty-adj.)65%
vs. Expected+9.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile87th
College Readiness9.1Exceptional30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
AP Participation32.4%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment2.4Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, per-pupil spending, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio26.3:1
Per-Pupil Spending$13,314

Portola High — Students at Portola High score 75% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 65%).

How we calculate scores →

Equity & Diversity

Shown separately, not included in overall score

Free/Reduced Lunch

18.1%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

Test Scores CA CAASPP (2023-24)

Math Proficiency 70.4%
School
State
31.8%
ELA Proficiency 80.0%
School
State
51.5%

Based on 8 test records from CA state assessments. About our data

Proficiency Trend

→ Stable

Average proficiency (% at or above grade level) across Math & ELA over time.

2019
Math
69%
ELA
73%
2021*
Math
76%
ELA
85%
2024
Math
68.4%
ELA
81.1%

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Source: EdFacts (NCES) and state assessment data. Growth score: 9.0/10.

How Portola High Compares

See how Portola High performs across key quality dimensions compared to state benchmarks.

Overall Score
7.7/10
79th percentile in CA
Academic
9.1/10
9.1/10
Growth
9.0/10
Above average
Environment
2.4/10
Below average

Funding & Resources

Free/Reduced Lunch
Students eligible for subsidized meals
18%
Teaching Staff
26:1 student-teacher ratio
95 teachers

Location

1001 Cadence, Irvine, CA 92618

Nearby Alternatives

Families considering Portola High may also want to explore other high schools in the area. NEW HORIZON SCHOOL IRVINE (rated 8.3/10, 2.1 miles away), which scores slightly higher. Another option is Serrano Intermediate (rated 7.1/10, 2.6 miles away, in nearby Lake Forest), with a comparable rating. Additionally, Portola Springs Elementary (rated 6.8/10, 1.5 miles away), with a comparable rating. For more schools in Irvine, see our Irvine schools guide .

Nearby Schools

20 within 2.6 mi
School Distance Rating
Solis Park Irvine 0.3 mi 6.1
Cadence Park Irvine 0.8 mi 5.7
Portola Springs Elementary Irvine 1.5 mi 6.8
Loma Ridge Elementary Irvine 1.8 mi 5.7
Beacon Park Irvine 1.7 mi 6.5
Tumble 'N Grow Irvine 1.9 mi
NEW HORIZON SCHOOL IRVINE Irvine 2.1 mi 8.3
New Horizon School Irvine Upper Campus Irvine 2.1 mi
LEPORT SCHOOLS - IRVINE SPECTRUM NORTH CAMPUS Irvine 2.1 mi 5.9
LEPORT SCHOOLS Irvine 2.1 mi
Excel Academy Charter Irvine 2.1 mi 5.6
Excel Academy Charter Irvine 2.1 mi 5.2
LePort Montessori Irvine Spectrum Irvine 2.1 mi
Rancho Canada Elementary Lake Forest 2.2 mi 5.1
Crean Lutheran High School Irvine 2.3 mi
CREAN LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL Irvine 2.3 mi 5.7
FULBRIGHT MONTESSORI ACADEMY Lake Forest 2.1 mi
Fulbright Montessori Academy Lake Forest 2.1 mi
LAKE FOREST MONTESSORI SCHOOL Lake Forest 2.3 mi
Serrano Intermediate Lake Forest 2.6 mi 7.1

Neighborhood Census ACS (2019-2023)

Census data for ZIP 92618 (ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates) · Data sources

Median Income

$135,609

Median Home Value

$1,153,400

Median Rent

$3,053/mo

Population

62,296

College Educated

72.5%

Homeownership

39.5%

Avg Commute

25.9 min

Poverty Rate

8.4%

Median Age

34.1

Community Profile

The community surrounding Portola High has a median household income of $135,609. It is a well-educated community where 73% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $1,153,400, with a median rent of $3,053/month. The local poverty rate of 8.4% is relatively low. The average commute for residents is 26 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Similar Schools

Schools in the same state with comparable level, size, and ratings

School Rating
Alhambra High Alhambra, CA 7.7
Bonita High San Dimas, CA 7.7
Cerritos High Cerritos, CA 7.7
Citrus Valley High Redlands, CA 7.7
Del Oro High Loomis, CA 7.7
Fresno High Fresno, CA 7.7

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Portola High

What grades does Portola High serve?

Portola High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Portola High?

Portola High has an enrollment of approximately 2,503 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Portola High?

The student-teacher ratio at Portola High is 26.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Portola High rank in CA?

Portola High is ranked #1965 out of 9,533 schools in CA.

What is Portola High's MySchoolScout rating?

Portola High has a composite rating of 7.7 out of 10 on MySchoolScout. This score combines academic performance, student growth, and school environment into a single score. Equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Portola High?

Based on the most recent state assessment data, Portola High has 70.4% math proficiency and 80.0% reading/ELA proficiency.

Is Portola High a charter school?

No, Portola High is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Portola High a Title I school?

No, Portola High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Portola High?

18.1% of students at Portola High qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

11 schools nearby View map →

Neighborhood Context

Walk Score
2 Car-Dependent
Transit Score
10 Minimal Transit
Bike Score
51 Bikeable
City Safety
Elevated (1,479/100K)

Powered by Walk Score

FBI UCR 2024. City-level (Irvine). Data >1 year old.

Quick Facts NCES CCD (SY 2022-23)

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
2,503
Student-Teacher Ratio
26.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
95
Free/Reduced Lunch
18.1%
Type
regular
Setting
Large City
County
Orange County
Data Year
2023–2024

District

Irvine Unified
District Enrollment
37,731
Schools in District
45
Per-Pupil Spending
$14,405
District Rank
#5 of 43

How We Rate Schools

Every school receives a composite score from 1 to 10 based on four pillars: Academic Performance (50%), Student Growth (20%), Equity (15%), and Learning Environment (15%). Scores are built from publicly available data including standardized test results, enrollment figures, and school climate indicators.

Read our full methodology

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