Portland Public Schools

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Portland, Michigan - 4 schools

An equity score of 38/100 ranks Portland Public Schools #530 of 707 districts in Michigan (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,701 per pupil, Portland Public Schools ranks #609 of 821 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending (Michigan districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,036
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$11,701
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Portland Public Schools operates 4 public schools serving 2,036 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Michigan. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 high, 1 combined, 1 elementary, 1 middle schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Ionia County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,701 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 821 Michigan districts by per-pupil spending. See how Michigan compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 23.6% local, 68.5% state, and 7.9% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 38/100, ranked #530 of 707 in Michigan against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (7 AP courses district-wide), a 391.2:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 43.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 90.8% White, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Portland Middle School, with a diversity index of 19.5/100.

Its largest campus is Portland High School, enrolling 665 students (34% of the district's total enrollment).

Portland High School accounts for 32.7% of all Portland Public Schools student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Portland Public Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Portland Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 391:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Portland Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 43.2% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

7.9%
Federal
68.5%
State
23.6%
Local

Funding Equity

38
Equity Score
530 / 707
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 4 schools in Portland Public Schools.

White 90.8%
Hispanic or Latino 3.8%
African American 1.4%
Multiracial 3.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 17.2/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Portland Public Schools's schools, below the Michigan average of 36.2.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Portland Middle School 19.5
  2. 2 Westwood Elementary School 19.3
  3. 3 Oakwood Elementary School 16.8
  4. 4 Portland High School 13.1

Programs & Resources

1 / 4
Schools with AP
7 AP courses total
391.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
43.2%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Portland Public Schools

School Enrollment
Portland High School
665
Oakwood Elementary School
473
Westwood Elementary School
423
Portland Middle School
418

How Portland Public Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Michigan districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Godwin Heights Public Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Freeland Community School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Lake Fenton Community Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Van Dyke Public Schools Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Ludington Area School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Portland Public Schools's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Michigan

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Utica Community Schools
25,744 students · 38 schools · $12,513/pupil
Compare vs Portland Public Schools →
Dearborn City School District
20,128 students · 37 schools · $16,677/pupil
Compare vs Portland Public Schools →
Ann Arbor Public Schools
17,026 students · 32 schools · $17,642/pupil
Compare vs Portland Public Schools →
Plymouth-Canton Community Schools
16,294 students · 25 schools · $13,630/pupil
Compare vs Portland Public Schools →

Compare Portland Public Schools

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Detroit Public Schools Community District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Portland Public Schools?

Portland Public Schools has 4 schools, including 1 high, 1 combined, 1 elementary, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 2,036 students.

How much does Portland Public Schools spend per student?

Portland Public Schools spends $11,701 per student. The district has an equity score of 38/100, ranking #530 in Michigan.

What is the demographic composition of Portland Public Schools?

Portland Public Schools students are 90.8% White, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% African American, 0.4% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Portland Public Schools?

Portland Public Schools has an equity score of 38/100, ranking #530 out of 707 districts in Michigan.