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Excellent

#314 of 2,846 schools in PA

Top 11% in state

Portage Area EL Sch

Elementary School · Portage Area Sd · Portage, PA

A Portage Area Sd elementary school where students score 35 points above what's typical for similar communities.

84 Mountain Ave, Portage, PA 15946

  • Math 65% vs PA 44% (2024)
  • Reading 71% vs PA 53% (2024)
  • 11.5:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.3Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.2 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics9.3Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency65.7% (2024 PSSA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency71.2% (2024 PSSA)
Math vs. State Avg+14.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+15.4 pts
Overall Proficiency68% (2024 PSSA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)33% (model expectation from 2024 PSSA)
vs. Expected+35.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile89th
Resources & Environment7.5Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.5:1
District spending per student$16,281
Chronic Absenteeism16.9%

Students at Portage Area EL Sch score 68% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 33%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 PSSA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. PA average.

Math Proficiency65%(2024 PSSA)
School
State
44%(2024 PSSA)
ELA Proficiency71%(2024 PSSA)
School
State
53%(2024 PSSA)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 8 points since 2020, reaching 68% in 2024.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
87%
ELA
76%
2010
Math
85%
ELA
78%
2011
Math
84%
ELA
71%
2012
Math
79%
ELA
73%
2013
Math
80%
ELA
74%
2014
Math
51%
ELA
66%
2015
Math
59%
ELA
63%
2016
Math
55%
ELA
64%
2017
Math
57%
ELA
68%
2018
Math
57%
ELA
71%
2019
Math
57%
ELA
71%
2020*
Math
48%
ELA
72%
2021*
Math
48%
ELA
72%
2022
Math
58%
ELA
74%
2024
Math
65%
ELA
71%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 65% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 71% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

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

Based on 38 test records from PA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

100%

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 Portage Area EL Sch sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 30Car-Dependent
  • Bike 10Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: Low127/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Portage), 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

$56,602

Median home value

$116,100

Median rent

$635/mo

College educated

21.4%

Homeownership

83%

Poverty rate

11.7%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 15946; 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

2 from a 5-mile search

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Penn Cambria Intrmd SchEnrollment path unverified5.33–43.2 mi194Compare →
Penn Cambria Primary SchEnrollment path unverified6.21–23.6 mi184Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Portage Area Sd

Schools in district
2
Rank in district
#1 of 2
District spending per student
$16,281NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
16.8%Census SAIPE · 2024

Portage Area EL Sch is listed in Portage Area SD; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Portage Area EL Sch

Portage Area EL Sch is a public elementary school in Portage, PA, part of Portage Area Sd, serving approximately 413 students in grades Pre-K-6th with a 11.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.4 out of 10 and ranks #314 of 2,846 schools in PA. State assessment records show 65% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 71% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Portage Area EL Sch

What grades does Portage Area EL Sch serve?

Portage Area EL Sch serves students in grades Pre-K through 6th.

How many students attend Portage Area EL Sch?

Portage Area EL Sch has an enrollment of approximately 413 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Portage Area EL Sch?

The student-teacher ratio at Portage Area EL Sch is 11.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Portage Area EL Sch rank in PA?

Portage Area EL Sch ranks #314 of 2,846 schools in PA.

What is Portage Area EL Sch's MySchoolScout rating?

Portage Area EL Sch has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.4 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 Portage Area EL Sch?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Portage Area EL Sch has 65% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 71% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Portage Area EL Sch a charter school?

No, Portage Area EL Sch is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Portage Area EL Sch a Title I school?

No, Portage Area EL Sch is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Portage Area EL Sch?

100.0% of students at Portage Area EL Sch 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
Pre-K – 6th
Enrollment
413
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
36
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Cambria County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
16.9%
Area population (ZIP 15946)
6,630
Area average commute
25.7 min
Area median age
49.8
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 PSSA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 PSSA. 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 PSSA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 PSSA. 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 15946; 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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