Academic Programs

Portage Township Schools has several special programs that help make learning even better for our students. These programs, including special education services, work with what students are already learning in school and provide extra support and new opportunities during their time with us.

Check out each of our programs below!

High Ability Program

A High Ability Student is someone who does really well or has the potential to do really well in at least one subject area compared to other students of the same age, experience, or background.

Students can be identified for the High Ability Program through one of the following six pathways:

How Students Are Identified as High Ability in Math:

By Performance: A very high score (96th percentile or higher) on a math test that compares students across the country.
By Potential: A very high score (96th percentile or higher) on a test that measures math thinking or reasoning skills.
By Other Information: If a student scores just below the cutoff, teachers may look at classroom work or use rating forms to decide if the student should still be placed in the program.

How Students Are Identified as High Ability in Language Arts:

By Performance: A very high score (96th percentile or higher) on a reading and language test.
By Potential: A very high score (96th percentile or higher) on a test that measures verbal reasoning.
By Other Information: If scores are just below the cutoff, teachers may review classwork and other information to help make a decision.

The district knows that all students learn and grow at their own pace. To make sure every student gets the right kind of instruction, the school checks all students for placement in Kindergarten, 2nd grade, and 5th grade. These placements can change as students grow and their learning needs change throughout elementary and middle school.

For more information on this process, please contact the High Ability Coordinator, Linda Williams, at (219)764-6208 or email [email protected].

Special Education Services

Portage Township Schools offers many special education services for students in Pre-K through 12th grade. Case conferences are held each year for students who receive special education support. Parent/Guardian will meet with their teacher of record to talk about what services the student needs and how those needs will be met. These services are provided by PTS staff and in partnership with Porter County Education Services (PCES). Some services, like speech therapy and occupational therapy, are provided through PCES.

If you believe your student needs special education support, contact your building principal or if you have any questions regarding Special Education evaluations at Portage Township Schools, please contact Director of Special Education Lisa Flynn at [email protected] or by calling (219) 762-6511.

For questions regarding evaluations and other services supplied by PCES, please contact their staff at (219) 464-9607.

21st Century Scholars Program

Learn More Indiana offers the 21st Century Scholars Program to help students get ready for college and their future careers. The program includes activities for high school and college students to help them stay on track. Students who complete the program can earn a scholarship to certain Indiana colleges.

To join, students must sign up in 7th or 8th grade and meet certain income and academic requirements.

To learn more or apply, visit: https://learnmoreindiana.org/students-families/

Dual Credit Courses at Portage High School

Dual credit classes at Portage High School let students earn college credit while still in high school. This can help students save time and money when they go to college.

These classes are offered through schools like Indiana University, IU Northwest, Ivy Tech, Purdue University, and Vincennes University.

Students and families should visit www.transferin.net to see how these credits transfer to colleges in Indiana. It’s also important to contact the colleges you're interested in to make sure the credits will count toward your major.

For more information about dual credit courses, visit the Portage High School website.

Project Lead the Way

English Learner Information

The English Learner (EL) Program is a support system within PTS that is designed to help multilingual learners understand, use, and master academic English for Social and Instructional purposes. We believe that our multilingual learners are best served when they learn content and language together. We engage our students through Reading and Listening projects and activities to elicit academic English through Writing and Speaking. EL services at PTS are designed to simplify the language without simplifying the content.

EL Program FAQs:

How does a child get selected and qualify for EL services?

In order to be eligible for EL services, first the student must have a completed Home Language Survey that states the student participates in another language outside of school. Students are then given the WIDA Screener, and English language proficiency assessment. If
the student’s score is less than 5, then the student qualifies for EL services.

When is the family made aware of the student qualifying for EL services?

A letter is sent home every year that the student qualifies for EL services.

How is student progress measured?

Every year during the winter, students who qualify for EL services take the ACCESS test to measure the student’s growth in academic English.

How does a student exit services?

If the student earns a composite score of 5 on the ACCESS test, then they will begin to exit the EL Program. Students are monitored for 2 years to support them in case they still need
academic support.