Summary:
Bellevue Community Schools in Michigan is served by a single elementary school, Bellevue Elementary School, which enrolls 226 students across a broad Pre-K through 6th grade span in a small, rural setting.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that Bellevue Elementary School is showing clear signs of improvement, even though it still faces challenges. The school recently jumped from a 1-star to a 2-star rating, moving from the 21st to the 39th percentile statewide. This progress is driven by strong gains in the upper grades. Most notably, 6th grade English Language Arts proficiency soared from 13.9% to 41.7%, now exceeding the state average of 37.5%. Math scores also improved significantly in 3rd, 4th, and 6th grades, with 3rd grade math (45.2%) now above the state average. However, 5th grade is a clear weak point, with proficiency rates in ELA (20%), math (13.3%), science (20%), and social studies (13.5%) all falling well below state averages. This pattern suggests that while early elementary and the 6th grade transition year are improving, the 4th and 5th grade years may need targeted attention.
Context matters when interpreting these numbers. With only about 28 students per grade, a single year's performance can swing dramatically based on the strengths of one cohort. The school also serves a population where nearly 58% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, and chronic absenteeism sits at 25.9%, slightly below the state rate. Per-student spending is high at $17,011, which is common for small rural districts due to fixed costs. For parents, this means the school is on a positive trajectory, but the small class sizes and concentrated 5th grade struggles suggest that individual teacher and cohort effects are significant. The recent gains, especially in 6th grade, are encouraging and indicate that interventions may be working, but sustaining this momentum across all grade levels will be key.
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