Best Public Schools in Saint Louis, MI

Saint Louis, Michigan is served by five schools, including four traditional public schools within the St. Louis Public Schools district (serving grades PK-12) and one specialized facility operated by the Michigan Department of Corrections, all located in a small, predominantly low-income community.

For parents, the most important takeaway is that St Louis High School is a clear standout for keeping students on track, with a remarkable 98% graduation rate and a 2% dropout rate—far better than state averages. This high school also shows genuine strengths in science and social studies, where its 11th graders outperformed the state by significant margins. However, its overall state ranking has dropped sharply in recent years, and math proficiency is a serious concern across the entire district. At the elementary level, Eugene M Nikkari Elementary stands out for having the best attendance record, with a chronic absenteeism rate of just 17.7%, well below the district and state averages. In contrast, TS Nurnberger Middle School has the highest absenteeism rate at 31%, suggesting student disengagement grows as children get older. The Carrie Knause Early Childhood Learning Center serves the youngest learners (PK-2) and, like all district schools, serves a high-need population with roughly 70% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch.

Academically, the district struggles most with mathematics, where proficiency rates hover between 11.5% and 25.6%—roughly half the state average at every grade level. English language arts is relatively stronger, though still below state benchmarks. A particularly alarming trend is the sharp year-over-year decline at Nikkari Elementary, where 3rd-grade ELA proficiency fell from 35.8% to 16.2% in just one year. The St Louis Correctional Facility is a unique outlier with only 13 students, and its metrics are not comparable to traditional schools. On a positive note, class sizes are favorable district-wide, with student-teacher ratios between 14:1 and 17:1, and per-student spending is consistent, ranging from $14,345 to $16,547.