Best Public Schools in Merrill, MI

The city of Merrill, Michigan, is served by the Merrill Community Schools district, which operates three schools—an elementary school (PK-5), a middle school (6-8), and a high school (9-12)—for a total of roughly 458 students in a small, predominantly low-income community.

For parents, the standout is Merrill Elementary School, which consistently outperforms state averages in several subjects, including 3rd grade math (51.6% proficient vs. 42.9% statewide) and 5th grade science (48.6% vs. 40%). It has also improved its ranking from the 50th to the 59th percentile in one year. In contrast, Merrill Middle School is the district’s weakest link, with 8th grade PSAT math proficiency collapsing to just 7.32% (state average: 33.2%) and 6th/7th grade ELA proficiency trailing state averages by 8–15 points. The middle school also receives the highest per-student funding ($18,388) yet produces the worst outcomes, suggesting money alone isn’t the answer. Meanwhile, Merrill High School has staged a remarkable turnaround, jumping from the 16th to the 57th percentile in two years, with SAT reading/writing proficiency surging from 28% to 44.7% and 11th grade science now exceeding the state average. However, SAT math remains weak at 26.3%.

The most concerning pattern is the “achievement cliff” between elementary and middle school—5th graders hit 45.9% ELA proficiency, but 6th graders drop to 29.4%. Chronic absenteeism (25–27% across all schools) and persistent math struggles from 4th grade onward compound this issue. On a positive note, the high school’s dropout rate (4.6%) is far better than the state’s (7.1%), and its graduation rate (83.7%) nearly matches the state average. Overall, Merrill’s elementary school proves success is possible, but the district must replicate those practices at the middle school level before students fall irreparably behind.