Elementary Schools in Bendle Public Schools

Bendle Public Schools operates two elementary schools in Burton, Michigan, serving grades PK-2 at South Bendle Elementary School and grades 3-5 at West Bendle Elementary School, together educating about 455 students in a district that ranks in the bottom quartile statewide.

Both schools serve predominantly low-income families, with free/reduced lunch rates of 87.8% at South Bendle and 92.3% at West Bendle. Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide concern, but the problem is most acute at South Bendle, where 43.9% of the youngest students are chronically absent—far exceeding the state average of 27.9%. West Bendle fares better at 33.7%, though still above state norms. Financially, the two schools differ notably: West Bendle spends $19,083 per pupil versus $16,103 at South Bendle, yet South Bendle actually maintains a slightly better student-teacher ratio (15.8:1 vs. 14.4:1). This spending gap does not translate into clear academic advantages, as the district remains in the 14th percentile overall.

Academic data is only available for West Bendle, which shows significant volatility and a troubling pattern of declining performance as students advance. In 2025-2026, 3rd graders posted the strongest results—39.2% proficiency in math and 31.6% in ELA—but by 5th grade, proficiency plummeted to 18.6% in math and 33.9% in ELA. The most dramatic swings include 3rd grade math jumping 14.2 points year-over-year while 4th grade ELA dropped 11.7 points, likely reflecting small cohort sizes. Social studies remains the weakest subject at just 15.3% proficiency, though it improved from 9.6%. Despite West Bendle's state percentile improving from 22nd to 28th, the district's overall ranking has not budged, suggesting South Bendle's early-grade challenges—particularly absenteeism—may be holding back district-wide progress.