Best Public Schools in Washington, MI

The city of Washington, Michigan, is served by four public schools within the Romeo Community Schools district, including one high school and three elementary schools, which together educate over 3,100 students in a community that consistently outperforms state averages.

For parents, the standout school in this area is Indian Hills Elementary School, which ranks in the top 7% of Michigan elementary schools and shows exceptional academic results—its 5th grade math proficiency rate of 77.3% is more than double the state average and far exceeds the 33.8% rate at Washington Elementary School. Indian Hills also boasts remarkably low chronic absenteeism at just 6.7%, compared to roughly 20% at the other schools. At the secondary level, Romeo High School is a consistent performer with a 96.8% graduation rate and a state ranking that has improved for three straight years, now placing it in the top 12% of Michigan high schools. Hevel Elementary sits in the middle of the pack, performing above state averages but below Indian Hills in most subjects.

The most important takeaway is that while all four schools outperform state benchmarks, there are significant internal disparities tied to economic factors. Washington Elementary serves a student population with more than double the economic disadvantage of Indian Hills, and its 5th grade math proficiency is less than half—a pattern that repeats across grade levels and subjects. Interestingly, Indian Hills achieves its top results with the lowest per-student spending in the district, suggesting that family circumstances and school culture matter more than financial resources alone. The encouraging news is that every school in the district improved its state ranking over the past two years, with Washington Elementary showing particularly strong gains in 3rd grade reading and math. For parents, this means the district offers excellent options, especially at Indian Hills and Romeo High School, while Washington Elementary represents a school making steady progress despite facing greater challenges.