Akron-Fairgrove Schools

Akron-Fairgrove Schools is a small, two-school district in a rural Michigan community serving roughly 360 students in grades PK-12, where a majority of students (about two-thirds) qualify for free or reduced lunch.

For parents, the most important story here is the sharp divide between the district's two schools. AkronFairgrove Elementary School is the clear bright spot. It has dramatically lower chronic absenteeism (16.3% vs. the state's 27.9%) and has shown genuine academic strength, particularly in science where 5th graders hit 50% proficiency—10 points above the state average. The elementary school also had a standout 4th grade class in 2024-2025, scoring 68% in ELA and 52% in math, far exceeding state averages. However, that performance did not carry over to the next cohort, which fell well below state averages in 2025-2026, suggesting results can vary significantly from year to year. In contrast, AkronFairgrove JrSr High School faces serious challenges. Its chronic absenteeism rate is a troubling 32.2%, and academic proficiency lags far behind the state in nearly every subject—most starkly in 8th grade social studies (14.3% vs. 50.3% state) and 11th grade science (14.8% vs. 35.2% state). The high school's state ranking has plummeted from the 68th percentile to the 32nd percentile over three years.

Despite these academic struggles, the high school does maintain a solid 88.2% graduation rate, above the state average, and a lower-than-average dropout rate. The district spends a competitive amount per student (around $14,500) with reasonable class sizes, so resources don't appear to be the core issue. The data points to a critical transition problem: elementary students show they can succeed, but something happens around 7th and 8th grade where performance drops off sharply. For parents, this means the elementary school offers a solid foundation, but you should be prepared for significant academic hurdles and attendance challenges once your child moves to the secondary level.