Summary:
Hart Middle School is the sole middle school in the Hart Public School District, serving grades 5 through 8 in Hart, Michigan, with 381 students and a predominantly low-income population where nearly 75% qualify for free or reduced lunch.
Because this is the only middle school in the district, its performance represents the entire district’s middle-level picture. The school has seen notable ranking volatility, dropping from the 54th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 43rd percentile in 2024-2025, before stabilizing at the 44th percentile in 2025-2026. Academically, the school shows a mixed profile. Mathematics is the most significant weakness, with proficiency rates critically low across all grades—7th grade math sits at just 8.0% proficient compared to the state’s 33.3%. English Language Arts also trails state averages, though 5th graders perform relatively better at 36.8% proficiency versus the state’s 43.8%. The most dramatic finding is the grade-level disparity in ELA: 6th graders plummet to 17.0% proficiency, a nearly 20-point drop from 5th grade, suggesting either a struggling cohort or a transition issue. Chronic absenteeism stands at 27.0%, essentially matching the state average of 27.9% but below the district’s 31.5%.
Despite these challenges, there are bright spots. Eighth graders achieve 59.4% proficiency in Social Studies, exceeding the state average by over 9 points, and they nearly match the state on the PSAT ELA at 63.8% versus 64.8%. The school spends $15,864 per student with a 16.4:1 student-teacher ratio, yet outcomes remain below state averages in most subjects, raising questions about resource allocation. Year-over-year data shows significant swings—7th grade math collapsed from 31.2% to 8.0%—which may reflect small cohorts or inconsistent instructional strategies. For parents, this school offers pockets of excellence, particularly in 8th grade social studies and PSAT performance, but the systemic math weakness and volatile grade-level results suggest a need for targeted interventions, especially for the current 6th and 7th grade cohorts.
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