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Below Average

#7987 of 9,539 schools in CA

Portola Middle

Middle School · Orange Unified · Orange, CA

An Orange Unified middle school serving grades 6th – 8th.

270 North Palm Dr., Orange, CA 92868

  • Math 16% vs CA 34% (2024)
  • Reading 29% vs CA 47% (2024)
  • 21.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress4.3Below Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-1.97 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics5.0Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency15.5% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency29% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-18.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-16.9 pts
Overall Proficiency22% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)23% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-1.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile31th
Resources & Environment4.0Below Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio21.4:1
District spending per student$15,147
Chronic Absenteeism42.1%

Students at Portola Middle score 22% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 23%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency16%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
34%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency29%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
47%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 17 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 23% recently.

Show all 13 years
2009
Math
36%
ELA
44%
2010
Math
39%
ELA
45%
2011
Math
41%
ELA
51%
2012
Math
44%
ELA
47%
2013
Math
75%
ELA
75%
2014
Math
20%
ELA
34%
2015
Math
19%
ELA
33%
2016
Math
22%
ELA
34%
2017
Math
23%
ELA
31%
2018
Math
22%
ELA
32%
2019
Math
22%
ELA
32%
2022
Math
16%
ELA
30%
2024
Math
16%
ELA
29%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 28% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 38% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 32 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

90.8%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Portola Middle sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Los Angeles map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 88Very Walkable
  • Transit 44Some Transit
  • Bike 54Bikeable
  • City Safety: High1,525/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Orange), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$89,050

Median home value

$714,300

Median rent

$2,356/mo

College educated

35.6%

Homeownership

31.7%

Poverty rate

13.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 92868; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Access Juvenile HallEnrollment path unverified5.2K–121.2 mi183Compare →
Advanced Learning AcademyCharter · enrollment unverified7.1K–121.7 mi368Compare →
Yorba MiddleEnrollment path unverified6.66–81.7 mi416Compare →
Citrus Springs CharterCharter · enrollment unverified4.2K–122.0 mi458Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Orange Unified

Schools in district
41
Rank in district
#33 of 39
District spending per student
$15,147NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
9.7%Census SAIPE · 2024

Portola Middle is listed in Orange Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Portola Middle

Portola Middle is a public middle school in Orange, CA, part of Orange Unified, serving approximately 577 students in grades 6th-8th with a 21.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.5 out of 10 and ranks #7,987 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 28% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Portola Middle

What grades does Portola Middle serve?

Portola Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Portola Middle?

Portola Middle has an enrollment of approximately 577 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Portola Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Portola Middle is 21.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Portola Middle rank in CA?

Portola Middle ranks #7,987 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Portola Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Portola Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.5 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Portola Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Portola Middle has 28% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Portola Middle a charter school?

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

Is Portola Middle a Title I school?

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

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

90.8% of students at Portola Middle qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
577
Student-Teacher Ratio
21.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
27
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Orange County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
42.1%
Area population (ZIP 92868)
27,390
Area average commute
26.1 min
Area median age
33.1
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 92868; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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