Coleman Community Schools

Coleman Community Schools is a small, rural Michigan district with just two schools—Coleman Elementary School (grades K-6, 315 students) and Coleman Junior/Senior High School (grades 7-12, 244 students)—serving about 559 students in a high-poverty area where over half qualify for free/reduced lunch.

The two schools present very different profiles. Coleman Junior/Senior High School is the district’s bright spot for keeping students on track: its 94.8% graduation rate and 5.1% dropout rate both beat state averages, and 9th graders exceed the state in PSAT English (63.6% vs. 60.2%). However, test scores elsewhere lag badly—10th grade PSAT math proficiency is just 11.6% (state: 31.5%), and 7th grade ELA sits at 14.6% (state: 38.4%). The school also struggles with chronic absenteeism at 34.6%, well above the state’s 27.9%. In contrast, Coleman Elementary School shows more consistent but still low performance, with proficiency gaps widening by grade—6th grade ELA is just 16.7% vs. 37.5% statewide. The elementary school has improved its state ranking from the 22nd to 30th percentile over three years, but its year-over-year scores swing dramatically (e.g., 3rd grade math dropped 14 points, while 4th grade math rose 13.5 points), likely due to small class sizes.

For parents, the key takeaway is that the district excels at graduating students but struggles to build academic skills, especially in secondary math. Science is a relative strength—both schools have at times matched or exceeded state averages in 8th and 11th grade science. The high school’s paradox of strong graduation rates with low test scores suggests a focus on retention over rigor. Meanwhile, the elementary school’s early-grade ELA improvements (3rd grade jumped from 19.6% to 31.3% proficiency) offer hope, but the “middle school cliff” in 7th grade and chronic absenteeism (28.6% districtwide) remain urgent concerns. With per-pupil spending of $14,792–$19,442, the district has resources; the challenge is directing them to math intervention and attendance support.