Can I use Porter County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Porter County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Porter County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Porter County?

Start with the 54 listed public schools and 10 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Porter County Schools & Education

Name: Porter County, Indiana Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Porter County, Indiana

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

School Score

34/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

92.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

92.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 92.6%

Per-Pupil Spending

$4,950

National avg $13,239

State avg $5,507

School Score

34/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 39/100

State Score Position

#65

of 92 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Porter County

Measured School Summary

Despite a lower school score of 34/100, Porter County maintains a strong graduation rate of 92.0%, suggesting effective student support systems.

Funding Context

At $4,950 per pupil, Porter County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 12% below the Indiana average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 0.6 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 10% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Porter County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

54 public schools and 10 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

34/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #65 of 92 Indiana counties with school score data.

Completion

92.0%

0.6 pts below the state average

Funding context

$4,950

$557 below the state average

School coverage

10 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Porter County has 54 public schools across 10 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Porter County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Large multi-district county

Porter County has many school records across many districts. County averages are only the opening screen; neighborhood-level assignment and grade-band fit matter more here.

State position

#65

of 92 Indiana counties with school score data. The county score is 5 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Portage Township Schools

Elementary to high school visible

6,742 students

Elementary 8Middle 2High 1Other 0

11 listed schools in this county slice.

Valparaiso Community Schools

Elementary to high school visible

6,382 students

Elementary 8Middle 2High 2Other 0

12 listed schools in this county slice.

Duneland School Corporation

Elementary to high school visible

5,724 students

Elementary 5Middle 3High 1Other 1

10 listed schools in this county slice.

East Porter County School Corp

Elementary and high visible

2,408 students

Elementary 3Middle 0High 3Other 0

6 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Valparaiso Community Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 12 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Porter County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Porter County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Porter County, Indiana

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

Porter County's Robust Educational Network

Porter County supports a massive infrastructure of 54 public schools serving 26,384 students across ten districts. The network is diverse, featuring 31 elementary schools, 10 middle schools, and 11 high schools.

High Performance Despite Leaner Budgets

Even with per-pupil spending of $4,950—below the state average of $5,507—the county maintains a strong 92.0% graduation rate. This performance significantly exceeds the national 87.0% benchmark while serving a large student body.

Massive Districts and Charter Options

Portage Township Schools and Valparaiso Community Schools are the largest districts, each serving over 6,300 students. The county also offers two charter schools, providing alternatives within the largely traditional public system.

Suburban Variety and Large Campuses

With 33 schools in suburban areas and 21 in rural settings, Porter County offers significant locale variety. Campuses like Portage High School and Valparaiso High School exceed 2,000 students, giving them a bustling, collegiate feel.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Porter County

Reported Enrollment

26,384

54 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

4% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary31

Middle10

High11

Other2

10 School Districts in Porter County

Portage Township Schools

Valparaiso Community Schools

Duneland School Corporation

East Porter County School Corp

6 schools

2,408 students

Porter Township School Corp

4 schools

1,527 students

Union Township School Corp

4 schools

1,409 students

MSD Boone Township

3 schools

1,072 students

Discovery Charter School

1 school

569 students

Neighbors' New Vistas High School

1 school

148 students

Porter County Education Services

1 school

0 students

54 Public Schools in Porter County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 4 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Search schools

Level

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Showing 20 of 54 matching schools

Public schools in Porter County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Portage High School	Profile	Portage Township Schools	Portage, 46368Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,243
Valparaiso High School	Profile	Valparaiso Community Schools	Valparaiso, 46385Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,098
Chesterton Senior High School	Profile	Duneland School Corporation	Chesterton, 46304Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,981
Willowcreek Middle School	Profile	Portage Township Schools	Portage, 46368Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	949
Chesterton Middle School	Record	Duneland School Corporation	Chesterton, 46304Suburb: Large	7–8	Middle	884
Benjamin Franklin Middle School	Record	Valparaiso Community Schools	Valparaiso, 46385Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	821
Thomas Jefferson Middle School	Record	Valparaiso Community Schools	Valparaiso, 46383Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	640
William Fegely Middle School	Record	Portage Township Schools	Portage, 46368Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	633
Discovery Charter School	Record	Discovery Charter School	Porter, 46304Suburb: Large	KG–8	Charter	569
Porter Lakes Elementary School	Record	Porter Township School Corp	Hebron, 46341Suburb: Large	PK–3	Primary	527
Heavilin Elementary School	Record	Valparaiso Community Schools	Valparaiso, 46383Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	505
Hebron Elementary School	Record	MSD Boone Township	Hebron, 46341Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	499
Liberty Elementary School	Record	Duneland School Corporation	Chesterton, 46304Rural: Fringe	KG–4	Primary	496
Boone Grove High School	Record	Porter Township School Corp	Valparaiso, 46385Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	486
Westchester Intermediate School	Record	Duneland School Corporation	Chesterton, 46304Suburb: Large	5–6	Middle	478
Memorial Elementary School	Record	Valparaiso Community Schools	Valparaiso, 46383Suburb: Large	KG–5	Primary	477
Flint Lake Elementary School	Record	Valparaiso Community Schools	Valparaiso, 46383Suburb: Large	KG–5	Primary	474
Rowena Kyle Elementary School	Record	Portage Township Schools	Portage, 46368Suburb: Large	KG–5	Primary	472
Cooks Corners Elementary School	Record	Valparaiso Community Schools	Valparaiso, 46383Suburb: Large	KG–5	Primary	470
Central Elementary School	Record	Portage Township Schools	Portage, 46368Suburb: Large	KG–5	Primary	453

Portage High School

Portage Township Schools

Portage, 46368 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,243 students

Valparaiso High School

Valparaiso Community Schools

Valparaiso, 46385 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,098 students

Chesterton Senior High School

Duneland School Corporation

Chesterton, 46304 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,981 students

Willowcreek Middle School

Portage Township Schools

Portage, 46368 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–8Middle949 students

Chesterton Middle School

Duneland School Corporation

Chesterton, 46304 / Suburb: Large

Record7–8Middle884 students

Benjamin Franklin Middle School

Valparaiso Community Schools

Valparaiso, 46385 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle821 students

Thomas Jefferson Middle School

Valparaiso Community Schools

Valparaiso, 46383 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle640 students

William Fegely Middle School

Portage Township Schools

Portage, 46368 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle633 students

Discovery Charter School

Porter, 46304 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–8Charter569 students

Porter Lakes Elementary School

Porter Township School Corp

Hebron, 46341 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–3Primary527 students

Heavilin Elementary School

Valparaiso Community Schools

Valparaiso, 46383 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary505 students

Hebron Elementary School

MSD Boone Township

Hebron, 46341 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary499 students

Liberty Elementary School

Duneland School Corporation

Chesterton, 46304 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–4Primary496 students

Boone Grove High School

Porter Township School Corp

Valparaiso, 46385 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High486 students

Westchester Intermediate School

Duneland School Corporation

Chesterton, 46304 / Suburb: Large

Record5–6Middle478 students

Memorial Elementary School

Valparaiso Community Schools

Valparaiso, 46383 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary477 students

Flint Lake Elementary School

Valparaiso Community Schools

Valparaiso, 46383 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary474 students

Rowena Kyle Elementary School

Portage Township Schools

Portage, 46368 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary472 students

Cooks Corners Elementary School

Valparaiso Community Schools

Valparaiso, 46383 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary470 students

Central Elementary School

Portage Township Schools

Portage, 46368 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary453 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$4,950

State avg $5,507

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Porter County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Indiana counties have the highest graduation rates?

Boone County (97.5%), Benton County (97.0%), and Brown County (97.0%) currently lead Indiana among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.

What is per-pupil spending like in Indiana?

Across Indiana counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $5,507. The highest current county values are Ohio County ($6,794), DeKalb County ($6,730), and Vigo County ($6,496). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Porter County?

Porter County has a school score of 34/100, which is a lower measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.

What is the graduation rate in Porter County?

The high school graduation rate in Porter County is 92.0%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.

How much does Porter County spend per student?

Porter County spends $4,950 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Porter County, Indiana — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Porter County, Indiana?

How do schools in Porter County perform academically?

What are the major school districts in Porter County, Indiana?

What is the school experience like in Porter County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Switzerland County

Indiana

-0 pts

34/100

School score

Fountain County

Indiana

+1 pts

35/100

School score

LaPorte County

Indiana

-1 pts

33/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

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