Elementary Schools in Bear Lake Schools

Bear Lake Elementary School is the only elementary school in the Bear Lake Schools district, serving 147 students in grades Pre-K through 6 in a rural Michigan community where roughly 61% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

This school stands out for its strong and consistent English Language Arts performance. In the 2025-2026 school year, every grade level (3rd through 6th) scored well above state averages in ELA, with proficiency rates ranging from 52% to 61%—between 11 and 17 points higher than the rest of Michigan. The most dramatic improvement came in 5th grade, which jumped 31.5 percentage points in ELA from the prior year. Early-grade math is also a clear strength: 3rd graders posted a 71.4% proficiency rate, a remarkable 28.5 points above the state average, and 4th graders also excelled at 60.9%. However, math performance falls off sharply in upper grades. By 6th grade, only 19.05% of students are proficient in math—nearly 13 points below the state average and a staggering 52-point drop from 3rd grade performance. Social studies is another weak spot, with just 17.39% of 5th graders proficient, well below the state's 27.5% and declining from the prior year.

For parents, the picture is mixed but promising. The school spends generously at $23,006 per student and maintains a favorable 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio, giving educators ample resources to work with. Chronic absenteeism runs slightly high at 29.1%, yet academic results remain strong in most subjects, suggesting effective instruction despite attendance challenges. The school has earned a 71st percentile statewide ranking, and its recent rebound from a dip in performance shows resilience. The biggest opportunities for improvement lie in 6th grade math and 5th grade social studies—areas where targeted interventions could yield significant gains. Given the small class sizes, individual cohorts can cause large year-to-year swings, so parents should view single-year changes with some caution. Overall, Bear Lake Elementary offers a solid foundation in reading and early math, with clear room to grow in upper-level math and social studies.