Summary:
Covert Middle School is the sole middle school serving grades 6-8 in the Covert Public Schools district in rural Covert, Michigan, with a very small enrollment of just 79 students across three grades.
This tiny school faces significant challenges but is showing signs of improvement. Academically, proficiency rates remain well below state averages—for example, only 19% of 6th graders and 16% of 7th graders are proficient in ELA, compared to roughly 38% statewide. However, every subject tested showed year-over-year gains, with the most dramatic jump in 8th grade PSAT ELA, which rose from 30.4% to 46.4% proficiency. The school also improved its state ranking from the 14th percentile in 2024-2025 to the 24th percentile in 2025-2026, though it still holds a 1-star rating. A major concern is chronic absenteeism: 39.3% of students miss substantial instructional time, well above the state average of 27.9%, and nearly 71% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating high economic disadvantage.
Despite these hurdles, the school invests heavily in its students, spending $22,004 per pupil—far above typical state levels—and maintains a favorable 15.2:1 student-teacher ratio. This resource intensity has not yet translated into proportional academic results, suggesting that poverty and absenteeism are powerful barriers that school funding alone cannot overcome. Still, the consistent upward trend in test scores and the notable PSAT improvement offer hope that recent interventions are gaining traction. Parents should note that with only about 26 students per grade, year-to-year results can swing dramatically based on the strengths of individual cohorts, so it is wise to view single-year data with some caution. The school appears to be on a positive trajectory, but from a very low starting point.
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