Summary:
Eau Claire Public Schools is a small Michigan district serving roughly 587 students across four schools in a predominantly rural area, including one elementary school, one middle school, and two high school programs. The district overall ranks in the 12th percentile statewide, and nearly all students (85-91%) qualify for free or reduced lunch, reflecting a highly economically disadvantaged population.
The clear standout is Eau Claire High School, which posted a 91.1% graduation rate and a 50% science proficiency rate in 2024-2025—both well above state averages—despite its high-poverty enrollment. However, its ranking swung dramatically from the 66th to the 21st percentile the following year, and 2025-2026 scores in science (20%) and math (12.8% on 9th grade PSAT) fell far below state norms. In contrast, WAY Eau Claire, the alternative high school, has a concerning 37.5% graduation rate but a 0% dropout rate and a 3:1 student-teacher ratio, suggesting students who stay are highly supported—yet it receives the lowest per-student funding ($9,787) in the district.
At the lower grades, Lybrook Elementary School spends the most per student ($18,284) but produces some of the weakest results, with 3rd grade math proficiency at just 12.1% versus the state’s 42.9%. Eau Claire Middle School faces a particular math crisis—7th grade math proficiency was 6.82% in 2024-2025—while ELA scores, though still below state averages, are comparatively stronger. Across all schools, chronic absenteeism (20-25%) is actually below the state average (27.9%), indicating attendance isn’t the core issue. Instead, the data points to systemic challenges in math instruction and resource allocation, with significant year-to-year volatility making single-year comparisons unreliable. For parents, the high school shows pockets of promise, but elementary and middle school performance suggests a need for targeted interventions, especially in mathematics.
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