Summary:
The Central Montcalm Public Schools district in Michigan operates two elementary schools: Central Montcalm Elementary School (grades PK-2) and Central Montcalm Upper Elementary School (grades 3-5). While both schools serve a significant population of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, they have struggled to achieve strong academic performance, consistently scoring below state averages on standardized assessments.
Central Montcalm Elementary School has seen a concerning decline in its statewide ranking, dropping from 413 out of 1,589 schools in 2008-2009 to 1,344 out of 1,565 schools in 2006-2007, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Similarly, Central Montcalm Upper Elementary School's ranking has fallen from 1,038 out of 1,488 schools in 2024-2025 to 1,149 out of 1,486 schools in 2023-2024, also earning a 1-star rating.
Despite higher-than-average per-student spending and relatively low student-teacher ratios, the schools continue to underperform in core subject areas like English Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. For example, in 2024-2025, the 5th-grade proficiency rates at Central Montcalm Upper Elementary School were significantly below state averages, with just 37.8% proficient in ELA (vs. 44.4% state), 25.6% in Math (vs. 32.9% state), 31.7% in Science (vs. 40.3% state), and 14.6% in Social Studies (vs. 29.8% state). Addressing the challenges faced by these schools will likely require a comprehensive, data-driven approach to improve academic outcomes and support the needs of the student population.
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