Enrollment
380
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Fort Wayne, IN
Portage Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Portage Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 180363000555
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 24
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Portage Middle School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% of Indiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- #7 of 15
- middle schools in Fort Wayne · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.7:1
- small classes for Indiana
- 77.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Portage Middle School has class sizes smaller than 83% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Portage Middle School ranks #7 of 15 middle schools in Fort Wayne, IN.
School address
District: Fort Wayne Community Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 180363000555 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.7:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.5%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+57% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Portage Middle School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Portage Middle School
Portage Middle School is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Fort Wayne, Indiana, enrolling 380 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 77.5% of students qualify for free meals, 57% above the Indiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 380 students, its enrollment sits close to the Indiana median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 278 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #161.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (33%) and White (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 73/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 380 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 43.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Fort Wayne's middle schools, it stands alongside Woodside Middle School (1,032 students): Portage Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.7:1 vs 18.8:1).
Fort Wayne Community Schools also operates Northrop High School (2,145 students) and R Nelson Snider High School (1,927 students) alongside Portage 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 Middle School compares
Portage Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Indiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Indiana | Indiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.7:1 | ▼ 20% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.5% | ▲ 57% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 380 | top 64% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.7:1
Leaner classes than 69% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
380
Bigger than 44% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 57% above the Indiana average of 49.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.7:1
students per teacher
- 20% below state mean
Top 17% in Indiana - lower ratio than 83% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
43.2%
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
$13,247
per pupil, district-wide
- above Indiana avg of $12,079
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 380 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.4 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
Hispanic or Latino 32.9%
White 29.2%
African American 25.0%
Two or More 11.3%
Asian 1.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 32.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.1, Portage Middle School is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fort Wayne Community Schools, which includes Portage Middle School.
$13,247
Per student
+10%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.4%
State 56.6%
Federal 21.1%
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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northrop High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| R Nelson Snider High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Side High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wayne High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Side High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Portage Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,145
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,927
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,405
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,398
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,383
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar middle schools in Fort Wayne
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Woodside Middle School
Standard public school
1,032 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Maple Creek Middle School
Standard public school
1,024 students 20.9:1 students per teacher
Carroll Middle School
Standard public school
1,004 students 20.1:1 students per teacher
Blackhawk Middle School
Standard public school
814 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Summit Middle School
Standard public school
789 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Jefferson Middle School
Standard public school
658 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Indiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~380 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Portage Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Portage Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Fort Wayne Community 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 Middle School
How many students attend Portage Middle School?
Portage Middle School has 380 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Fort Wayne, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Portage Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Portage Middle School is 12.7:1, which is 20% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 19% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Portage Middle School?
77.5% of students at Portage Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Portage Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Portage Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 32.9% of enrollment, in Fort Wayne, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Portage Middle School?
Portage Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Portage Middle School rank among middle schools in Fort Wayne?
By Resource Investment Index, Portage Middle School ranks #7 of 15 middle schools in Fort Wayne, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Fort Wayne on the city page.
Is Portage Middle School a good school?
Portage Middle School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% of Indiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana 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 Fort Wayne Community Schools?
Besides Portage Middle School, Fort Wayne Community Schools also operates Northrop High School (2,145 students), R Nelson Snider High School (1,927 students), and South Side High School (1,405 students). See the Fort Wayne Community 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.