Middle Schools in Grand Ledge Public Schools

The middle schools in Grand Ledge Public Schools serve roughly 1,645 students across two campuses in a relatively affluent Michigan district (ranked in the 78th percentile statewide), with Kenneth T Beagle Middle School handling grades 7-8 and Leon W Hayes Intermediate School covering grades 5-6.

Beagle is the clear academic standout, earning a 4-star rating and ranking in the 83rd-86th percentile for two straight years. Its biggest strength is 8th grade social studies, where 71% of students are proficient—a remarkable 20.7 points above the state average. Beagle also excels in 8th grade science (54.1% proficient, +14.9 points) and PSAT ELA (77%, +12.2 points). Hayes, while unranked as an elementary-level school, serves as a strong feeder, with 5th graders posting 56% ELA proficiency (+12.2 points) and 54.9% science proficiency (+14.9 points). However, a notable "7th grade slump" emerges: math proficiency at Beagle plunged from 45.5% to 33.8% in one year, and 7th grade ELA dropped 5.6 points—suggesting a challenging cohort or transition issues rather than systemic decline, since 8th grade PSAT math actually improved by 5.8 points.

For parents, the key takeaway is that both schools outperform state averages in most subjects, but math remains the district's weak spot—hovering near state averages at every grade level. Chronic absenteeism affects roughly one in four students at both schools (22-23%), though that's below the state's 27.9% rate. Beagle spends $584 more per student than Hayes ($12,758 vs. $12,174) yet has larger classes (18.9:1 vs. 17.9:1), suggesting the extra funds go toward specialized programs rather than smaller sizes. The district's low poverty rates (24-26% free/reduced lunch) and strong social studies, science, and PSAT results provide a solid foundation, but families should watch how the district addresses the 7th grade math decline and whether Hayes' improving 6th grade math (+7.1 points) carries forward to Beagle.