Enrollment
719
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Portage, MI
Portage Central Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Portage Central Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 262895006490
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 25
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Portage Central Middle School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of Michigan schools.
- #3 of 3
- middle schools in Portage · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.9:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 19.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Portage Central Middle School has class sizes larger than 72% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Portage Central Middle School ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Portage, MI.
School address
District: Portage Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262895006490 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.9:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
19.9%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-63% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Portage Central Middle School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Portage Central Middle School
Portage Central Middle School is a lower-poverty, large middle school in Portage, Michigan, enrolling 719 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 19.9% free-meal eligibility runs 63% below the Michigan average.
Enrollment of 719 puts it in the larger third of Michigan schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 396 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #279.
Its student body is led by White (74%) and Two or More (9%) (diversity index 43/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Portage Public Schools also operates Portage Central High School (1,391 students) and Portage Northern High School (1,194 students) alongside Portage Central Middle School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Portage Central Middle School compares
Portage Central Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.9:1 | ▲ 8% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 19.9% | ▼ 63% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 719 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.9:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
719
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
19.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 63% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.9:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 72% in Michigan - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
30.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$12,499
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $13,507
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
47
in-school suspensions + 83 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 18.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 74.0%
Two or More 9.0%
Hispanic or Latino 7.6%
Asian 5.1%
African American 4.2%
Largest group: White at 74.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.4, Portage Central Middle School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Portage Public Schools, which includes Portage Central Middle School.
$12,499
Per student
-7%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.4%
State 57.3%
Federal 6.3%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Portage Central Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portage Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Portage Northern High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Portage West Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Portage North Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Moorsbridge Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Portage Central Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,391
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,194
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 717
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 609
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 591
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Michigan, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~719 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Portage Central Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Portage Central Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Portage Public Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Portage Central Middle School
How many students attend Portage Central Middle School?
Portage Central Middle School has 719 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Portage, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Portage Central Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Portage Central Middle School is 18.9:1, which is 8% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Portage Central Middle School?
19.9% of students at Portage Central Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Portage Central Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Portage Central Middle School is White at 74.0% of enrollment, in Portage, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Portage Central Middle School?
Portage Central Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Portage Central Middle School rank among middle schools in Portage?
By Resource Investment Index, Portage Central Middle School ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Portage, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Portage on the city page.
Is Portage Central Middle School a good school?
Portage Central Middle School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of Michigan schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Portage Public Schools?
Besides Portage Central Middle School, Portage Public Schools also operates Portage Central High School (1,391 students), Portage Northern High School (1,194 students), and Portage West Middle School (717 students). See the Portage Public Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.