Summary:
Pullman, Michigan, is served by a single elementary school within the Bloomingdale Public School District, which educates students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Pullman Elementary School serves a student body where nearly 88% qualify for free or reduced lunch, reflecting a highly economically disadvantaged community. The school maintains a favorable 12.2:1 student-teacher ratio and spends a substantial $22,064 per student annually. However, academic performance lags significantly behind state averages across all subjects and grade levels. For example, 3rd grade English Language Arts proficiency is 19.4% compared to the state's 38.2%, and 5th grade math proficiency is 18.2% versus the state's 32.2%. The school's ranking has improved from the 7th percentile in 2024-2025 to the 15th percentile in 2025-2026, earning one star after receiving zero stars the previous year. This upward momentum is visible in 3rd grade math, which jumped from 16% to 25.8% proficiency year-over-year.
A critical concern is the school's 43.5% chronic absenteeism rate, which is 15.6 percentage points above the state average and likely a major barrier to learning. Interestingly, 4th grade shows identical proficiency rates of 13.64% in both ELA and math, and this grade level underperforms the district in both subjects, while 3rd and 5th grade ELA scores actually exceed district averages. The disconnect between high per-student spending and low outcomes suggests resources may be directed toward supporting the high-needs population rather than directly boosting test scores. Parents should note that while absolute performance remains low, the school demonstrates positive trends, maintains small class sizes, and outperforms its district in several grade-level subjects. Addressing chronic absenteeism will be essential for sustaining the school's improvement trajectory.
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