Summary:
Holland City School District is home to just one middle school, Holland Middle School, which serves grades 6 through 8 with 605 students in a community where nearly two-thirds of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
Holland Middle School consistently performs below state averages across nearly all subjects and grade levels, though its state ranking has improved slightly over three years, moving from the 31st percentile in 2023-2024 to the 36th percentile in 2025-2026. The school’s strongest area is 8th grade English Language Arts on the PSAT, where 61.9% of students are proficient, just 2.9 points below the state average. In contrast, math is a major weakness: 6th grade M-Step math proficiency is only 17.8% (state: 31.9%), and 8th grade PSAT math proficiency is 21.8% (state: 33.2%). Science and social studies also lag, with 8th grade proficiency rates of 28.3% and 36.4% respectively, compared to state averages of 39.2% and 50.3%.
One of the most striking findings is the disconnect between spending and results. The school spends a very high $25,570 per student, yet academic outcomes remain in the bottom third of Michigan schools, suggesting that the high poverty rate (62.48% free/reduced lunch) and associated challenges may be limiting the impact of resources. Chronic absenteeism is another concern, with 26.2% of students missing significant school time—a rate close to the state average but problematic for a school already struggling academically. Test scores also show year-to-year volatility, such as 7th grade ELA dropping from 33.3% to 23.7% proficiency in one year, while 8th grade PSAT math improved from 14.1% to 21.8%. For parents, the key takeaway is that Holland Middle School offers a relatively strong ELA program, especially in 8th grade, but math intervention and attendance improvement are critical areas that need attention.
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