- Enrollment
- 2,183
- Students per teacher
- 27.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Orange, CA
Portola Middle
Federal NCES profile for Portola Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 062865004446
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 16
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Portola Middle earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 88% of California schools.
- #2 of 3
- middle schools in Orange · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.6:1
- small classes for California
- 79.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Portola Middle has class sizes smaller than 88% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Portola Middle ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Orange, CA.
School address
District: Orange Unified · California
NCES ID 062865004446 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-20 students YoY
Portola Middle held near 577 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-20 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 27.2 → 27.9 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-20 students YoY 062865004446 · Orange, CA Middle · SMALL · TRAD
422 enr · 15.6:1 · 79.2% lunch · RII 31
Nearest enrollment peer: Canyon High (2,183 students)
Portola Middle held near 577 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-20 headcount). Teacher FTE added 27.2 → 27.9 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Portola Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Canyon High
Canyon High
2,183 students
- Villa Park Hig
Villa Park High
2,023 students
- El Modena High
El Modena High
1,795 students
- Orange High
Orange High
1,728 students
- El Rancho Char
El Rancho Charter
1,144 students
- This school 422
Portola Middle
422 students
What this shows Portola Middle reports 422 students on the CCD universe file.
How Portola Middle compares
Portola Middle held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.6:1 | ▼ 27% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 79.2% | ▲ 43% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 422 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.6:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
422
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
79.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 43% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.6:1
students per teacher
- 27% below state mean
Top 12% in California - lower ratio than 88% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
51.4%
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
$15,133
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 422 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 67 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 88.1%
Asian 5.9%
White 3.8%
Two or More 1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
African American 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 88.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 21.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 21.9, Portola Middle is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Orange Unified reports $15,133 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Portola Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Villa Park High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| El Modena High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Orange High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| El Rancho Charter | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Portola Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,023
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,795
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,728
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,144
- Students per teacher
- 29.3:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar middle schools in Orange
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~422 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.6:1)
Frequently asked questions about Portola Middle
How many students attend Portola Middle?
Portola Middle has 422 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Orange, CA. CCD year-over-year: 597 (2022-23) → 577 (2023-24), nearly flat (-20).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Portola Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Portola Middle is 15.6:1, which is 27% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 1% 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 Portola Middle?
79.2% of students at Portola Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Portola Middle?
The largest demographic group at Portola Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 88.1% of enrollment, in Orange, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Portola Middle?
Portola Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Portola Middle rank among middle schools in Orange?
By Resource Investment Index, Portola Middle ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Orange, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Orange on the city page.
What other schools are in Orange Unified?
Besides Portola Middle, Orange Unified also operates Canyon High (2,183 students), Villa Park High (2,023 students), and El Modena High (1,795 students). See the Orange Unified district page for the complete list.