Portage Area JSHS

Portage Area JSHS is a 9-12 campus of intimate scale in Portage, Pennsylvania, part of Portage Area SD, educateing 339 students in grades 7 through 12. That puts it 54% leaner than the typical public school in Pennsylvania, which averages around 738 students.

Portage Area JSHS is one of 2 schools operated by Portage Area SD, a district that instructs 740 students overall.

Demographically, Portage Area JSHS shows that the student body is overwhelmingly White (94%); the rest consists of 3% multiracial. That composition is broadly in line with Cambria County as a whole.

Looking at the economic backdrop, The school lists 27 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 12.5:1. That tracks the state average closely. About 106% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. Set against Cambria County (around 73%), the school's rate is somewhat above typical.

In the surrounding community, Cambria County reports that median household income runs about $58,418, 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 9%. Portage Area JSHS is one of 37 public schools in Cambria County (combined enrollment of about 15,789 students).

The closest other public school is Portage Area El Sch, roughly 0.2 miles away. Within five miles, there are 3 other public schools.

The school occupies a town-based site.

Five-year trend. Portage Area JSHS's enrollment has ticked down 22% since 2018, when it stood at 434 (now 339). Class-load math has fell: from 15.0:1 in 2018 to 12.5:1 in 2025.

Inside the community feed, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around open house dates, ride-share offers, and field-trip permission slips. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.