Summary:
The Coloma Community Schools district in Michigan operates two elementary schools—Coloma Elementary School (grades PK-3) and Coloma Intermediate School (grades 4-5)—serving roughly 531 students in a high-poverty area where 74-79% of children qualify for free or reduced lunch.
Comparing the two schools, Coloma Elementary School is the larger campus with 356 students and faces more significant attendance challenges—34.9% of its PK-3 students are chronically absent, well above the state average of 27.9%. Academically, its 3rd grade ELA proficiency improved to 19.3%, but 3rd grade Math plummeted from 29.3% to just 16.9% in one year, a 12.4-point drop that demands attention. Meanwhile, Coloma Intermediate School has better attendance (24.1% chronic absenteeism) and shows its strongest result in 4th grade ELA at 30.5% proficiency—within 11 points of the state. However, its 5th grade Math is the district's weakest metric, with only 10.5% of students proficient, a staggering 21.7-point gap from Michigan's average.
Across both schools, every subject lags state benchmarks by 11 to 26 points, with math gaps consistently the largest. Science (20.9%) and social studies (12.8%) in 5th grade are relatively less behind, though still below par. Notably, Coloma Elementary School spends $15,709 per student—higher than the intermediate school's $14,116—yet outcomes remain weak, raising questions about resource effectiveness. The district holds a 1-star rating, but internal variation suggests targeted help could work: improving primary attendance, investigating the math decline, and providing intensive 5th grade math intervention are clear priorities. For parents, Coloma Intermediate School offers relatively stronger ELA performance, while both schools face uphill battles tied to high poverty and persistent achievement gaps.
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