2023 Best Public Schools in Portland

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.22 out of 5  774 reviews

Alum: Manual was overall a great school! I was in the Visual Arts magnet and I felt like it really improved my skills. I felt challenged by my studies but supported by teachers and peers willing to help me if I ever needed it. It had a very diverse and accepting atmosphere and I never felt afraid to be who I was at the school. My only issue throughout the entire four years I attended was that the art teachers were often too ruthless. Often times, they would pick favorites and be too cruel with critiques-- to the point where the critique wasn't constructive. I had a teacher call my art "ugly" and provide no extra details on improvement. Despite this, Manual was an amazing place to attend and I continued to enjoy my art and other classes despite the very few teachers that could be harsh.... Read 774 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,929

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 3.77 out of 5  141 reviews

Senior: The J. Graham Brown School is an excellent school which truly challenges its students to be self-directed learners and empathetic citizens. The school culture and environment allows for student individuality to flourish and encourages students to seek always to better not only their understanding and the understanding of their peers, but to better their very selves and the community around them.... Read 141 reviews

• grade A

• Students 753

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.01 out of 5  579 reviews

Senior: Male High school is a great traditional school. Their main focus is instilling hard working skills in classes while still participating in different activities around the school. School has changed a lot since Covid-19, but this school still goes with tradition. This is a very warming and positive environment. I am proud to be part of the bulldog family!... Read 579 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,992

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 3.75 out of 5  4 reviews

Parent: My daughter went here after being accepted for 5th grade. She was at Middletown Elementary prior to transferring, where she wasn’t challenged in class, ever. She was and still is a straight A student. She loved Greathouse and that she felt a bit more challenged there, instead of bored racing through work. The school is clean, the administration are all kind, and the kids don’t run wild like I’ve seen in other schools. The only thing they need help on is the flow of the carpool line, updated/demo playground, and the cafeteria food is awful-but they don’t have much control over that. Although, if we are forced to pay for it unlike 95% of the other Elementary schools, it should be better selection. Some of it I wouldn’t feed my dog.... Read 4 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 612

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 3 out of 5  3 reviews

High School Sophomore: It was a little rocky in the beginning but once I got the hang of it everything was okay.... Read 3 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 633

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 3.8 out of 5  5 reviews

Alum: My overall favorite grade at "JCTMS" was 8th grade because atmosphere was a lot more laid back then it was my 6th grade year. The teachers were fun and always caring about you and helpful with any life situations and/or school work. The school as a whole was to me a great traditional school and what I mean by that is that they made sure you followed the dress code , followed the attendance, and was ready to come learn everyday. There is probably nothing I would ask them to change about the school. I loved it!... Read 5 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 942

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 3 out of 5  2 reviews

Parent: My daughter and son both attend Audubon Traditional Elementary School and it has been the best experience ever. They are on top of their communication with parents. They ensure our kids are safe at all times. The staff is friendly and always willing to help. The school building itself is older but they've done a great job keeping up with the maintenance. Now on to their academic curriculum, it is the best by far that I've seen. They challenge their students. The children aren't just skating by, if they do not understand something or are struggling with something, we are notified immediately. We don't have to wait on report cards and progress reports. My children are striving wonderfully at Audubon to the point, JCPS has sent letters home, trying to move my children to advanced placement.... Read 2 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 616

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• PK, K-5

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Alum: I loved this school, im a freshman and high school and i still come back to visit because it was such an amazing school. it gave me the best years of my life and everyone made me feel accepted... Read 1 review

• grade B+

• Students 492

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• PK, K-5

• grade B+

• Students 578

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  8 reviews

Parent: Schaffner Traditional is an excellent school. My child was accepted into this school after attending a low performance/needs improvement school. My child has been attending this school for 4 months now and we love what this school offers. Go Schaffner Dolphins!... Read 8 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 596

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  4 reviews

Parent: We are incredibly happy that our son has the opportunity to attend LPAS. The administration is just wonderful. As you walk down the halls you immediately notice how happy and enthusiastic the children are to learn! One of the positive qualities of LPAS is the parental involvement. The administration encourages parents to get involved in all areas, ie., PTA, assisting in classrooms, special events, teacher appreciation and mentoring to name just a few. Therefore, it is not just the student, but the entire family that takes pride in making our school and our children successful. We only wish the school went through to 8th Grade.... Read 4 reviews

• grade B

• Students 573

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Sellersburg, IN•

• Public School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 3.72 out of 5  36 reviews

Parent: RCCA is an outstanding school. I hope they are able to keep the class sizes small now that so many more people are trying to get their kids in now that they're realizing that RCCA IS THE BEST! I have no complaints about the education or how my child is treated. The teachers and staff treat all of the students like family. So what if people are related. This has never been an issue for us and no, we're not related. We're going on our third year and couldn't be more satisfied. My child is flourishing at Rock Creek. We do not enjoy living in Sellersburg or Indiana for that matter The superb education our son is receiving at RCCA is the only reason that we have not and are not going to move out if the area.... Read 36 reviews

• grade B

• Students 625

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 3 out of 5  2 reviews

Alum: A great middle school for all students. Despite the overcrowding the teachers there do involve students and strive to teach them to their fullest... Read 2 reviews

• grade B

• Students 1,083

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.76 out of 5  381 reviews

Senior: My experience at Butler Traditional High School has ben wonderful! I have been there for four years and I am currently a senior. Butler is so welcoming and overall feels like home. Butler offers a wide variety of sports and clubs to choose from. One club that fascinates me is National Honors Society (NHS). NHS is a program for students with a GPA above 3.5. It helps students make a difference in their community by completing service hours. Butler has great administrators and teachers that are very approachable and kind to all students. In my opinion, Best Buddies is one of the best things about my school. Best Buddies is a program for special-needs students to interact with other students. It is very special to me because forever friends and connections are made with all the special-needs students. I would recommend Butler High School to everyone! I have met so many people and I feel involved at school. Choosing to attend Butler High School was one of the best choices I've ever made.... Read 381 reviews

• grade B

• Students 1,575

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• K-5

• grade B

• Students 605

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• New Albany, IN•

• Public School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.16 out of 5  43 reviews

Senior: Community Montessori is a good school but it isn't the school for everyone. I believe it does well for the younger side but when you get up to the older areas, it gets a bit iffy. With all the freedom it brings, a student can either thrive in it or suffer massive consequences. I think I do okay with the freedom, even though my first year at Montessori was a bit of a learning curve I had to get over, I know some people that are failing tremendously because they have no sense of urgency due to the lack of structure. Overall, amazing school with amazing staff, it's just not for everyone.... Read 43 reviews

• grade B minus

• Students 534

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 1 out of 5  1 review

• grade C+

• Students 877

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• K-5

• grade C+

• Students 248

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• PK, 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.25 out of 5  12 reviews

Senior: I have been at Tapp my whole high school career it has given me and opportunity to sucked even with my child. The daycare is amazing .never will be a better one . on top of learning normal high school classes we have classes that prepared us for the work force and life after school like college,parenting and many other valuable skill. Through the years I have Never been at a school that felt like home until I came to TAPP. On top of everything we are provided with opportunities that aren't offered at normal school like are amazing Christmas incentive every year which help attendance improve.... Read 12 reviews

• grade C+

• Students 70

• Student-teacher ratio 4:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.05 out of 5  339 reviews

Senior: Currently, Central is going through renovations. Our air quality is very poor, teachers that have been here for years are being diagnosed with asthma and different types of cancer, and the district (Jefferson County Public Schools) is doing their best to withhold information from administration, parents, teachers, and students. During the school day, there are various construction workers working on the building, disrupting learning for everyone. At one point, some of the construction crew had stolen the copper wires, and we were without power for majority of the day. Students and staff are all disappointed with Jefferson County Public Schools, as this would not be a problem at a predominantly white school, such as Male or Manual. Our water pipes are rusty, and therefore the water is shut off in the building randomly and for hours, and there are a minor amount of water fountains.... Read 339 reviews

• grade C+

• Students 1,295

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.43 out of 5  14 reviews

Senior: This is the best school I could have asked for/found. It is smaller than a traditional public high school, and their focus is on students/teens who struggle with social interactions, and also have anxiety and other learning disabilities. I have ADHD and am on the autism spectrum, and through my 2+ years here, I have found that the staff and teachers are extremely supportive of my struggles and willing to help me overcome my challenges to be a successful high school graduate.... Read 14 reviews

• grade C+

• Students 388

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 3.42 out of 5  24 reviews

Alum: My experience at the academy at Shawnee was pretty good. It’s a nice friendly school with wonderful teachers and lots of potential. Some things I liked there was the jrotc and the aviation program which is the only one in Kentucky I believe. They have also renovated the school around with more space and finally opening up the top floor that’s been closed off for years. Some things I would like to see different at the school is the way people look at the school. It’s always been considered a bad school but it’s not bad, just in a not so good area. They have been working on that in the past years and I feel like a change is coming.... Read 24 reviews

• grade C+

• Students 534

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 3.29 out of 5  7 reviews

Parent: Kammerer has been great for our 6th grader (heading into 7th this year). His teachers are very responsive and accommodating to our needs and questions. There are several sports and recreational oppurtunities for learning enrichment. And as a parent, I love that he is developing relationships w a diverse group kids and adults. Several kids from his elementary school (Norton Elementary) are there with him too. Enough familiarity w the perfect mix of new!... Read 7 reviews

• grade C+

• Students 911

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Clarksville, IN•

• Public School•

• 10-12

• grade C+

• Students 328

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Jefferson County Public Schools, KY•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 4.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Alum: I went to WMS all 3 years of middle school and was able to make a lot of good friends that I have till this day as well as teachers, administrators, and resources to get me to wherever I wanted to go for high school. Everyone here always wants the best for your child and someone your child knows will be at every sports or academic event, competition, or game they have during their time and after ! I also recommend their performing arts programs and Montessori program if you think that is the next best step for you or your child :)... Read 3 reviews

• grade C

• Students 1,273

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1