Summary:
Carsonville-Port Sanilac Elementary School is the only elementary school in the Carsonville-Port Sanilac School District, serving 165 students in Pre-K through 5th grade in a rural Michigan community where 69% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
This single school shows a concerning downward trend in its most recent state ranking, falling from the 43rd percentile (845th of 1488 schools) in 2024-2025 to the 27th percentile (1083rd of 1492 schools) in 2025-2026. The most dramatic decline occurred in 5th grade, where English Language Arts proficiency dropped from 50% to 26.1% and math proficiency fell from 35% to 13% year-over-year. Fourth grade shows persistent weakness, with ELA proficiency ranging between 20-28.6% and math between 24-25%, both well below state averages of roughly 41% and 39% respectively. Third grade math was a relative bright spot in 2024-2025 at 46.4% (exceeding the state average), but that advantage disappeared in 2025-2026 when it fell to 36.4%.
With only 20-30 students per grade level, these year-to-year swings can reflect the abilities of just a few students, so caution is warranted in interpreting the declines. The school spends a substantial $17,942 per student, yet outcomes lag state averages, suggesting resources may be directed toward non-academic needs given the high poverty rate. Positively, chronic absenteeism at 22.6% is better than both the district average (37.2%) and the state average (27.9%), indicating effective attendance work despite economic challenges. The school has demonstrated it can reach state-average performance in certain subjects and years, suggesting targeted support in upper elementary grades could reverse the recent downward trend.
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