Best Public Schools in Holt, MI

The Holt Public Schools district in Holt, Michigan, serves about 4,160 students across 7 schools—4 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 1 high school—in a suburban community that holds a 3-star statewide district rating (53rd percentile).

For parents, the standout school is Wilcox Elementary School, which leads the district academically with 3rd grade math proficiency at 64.7% and ELA at 58%, both well above state averages, despite spending the second-least per student ($15,028). In contrast, Washington Woods Middle School shows a dramatic decline, with 5th grade math proficiency at just 5.6% versus the state's 32.2%, a sharp drop from its former top-15% ranking a decade ago. Horizon Elementary School excels at attendance, with only 12.9% chronic absenteeism—the lowest in the district—but spends the most per student ($31,215) without outperforming Wilcox. Sycamore Elementary School made a remarkable turnaround, jumping from the 26th to 46th percentile in one year, though it still trails Wilcox significantly in 4th grade math (27.1% vs. 54.0%).

District-wide, math is the biggest weakness: SAT math proficiency at Holt Senior High School is just 14.8% versus the state's 26.5%, while ELA is a strength at 57.6%. Chronic absenteeism rises with grade level, peaking at 38.3% in high school, and spending does not correlate with results—Elliott Elementary School spends the least ($13,477) yet performs mid-range. Holt Junior High School mirrors the district's math struggles (26.2% in 7th grade). Despite these challenges, graduation rates (86.1%) exceed the state average, and dropout rates are low, suggesting schools keep students on track even as test scores lag in specific subjects.