Summary:
Ishpeming Middle School is the only middle school in the Ishpeming Public School District No. 1, serving grades 5 through 8 with 185 students in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
This school has seen a clear downward trend in its state ranking over the past two years, falling from the 54th percentile (3 stars) in 2023-2024 to the 32nd percentile (2 stars) in 2025-2026. The most pressing concern is math: only about 1 in 8 sixth graders (12.5%) and 1 in 9 eighth graders (10.9% on the PSAT) are proficient, which is roughly 20 points below state averages in every grade tested. English Language Arts is also below state levels, especially in 5th and 6th grades, where proficiency is 20+ points behind. However, there are bright spots: 5th grade science (39.5%) nearly matches the state average (40.0%), and 8th grade PSAT English (60.9%) is within 4 points of the state. The gap between PSAT English and math proficiency is a striking 50 points, suggesting reading instruction is relatively strong while math needs urgent, targeted intervention.
For parents, context matters. About 45% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch, indicating a moderate-to-high poverty level that often correlates with academic challenges. On the positive side, chronic absenteeism (23.3%) is better than the state average (27.9%), meaning students are showing up to class. Per-student spending is $13,804, and the student-teacher ratio is 18.7:1, which is on the higher side and may limit individualized attention. Year-to-year scores fluctuate significantly—for example, 6th grade ELA dropped from 34.1% to 15.0% in one year—likely due to small class sizes of roughly 46 students per grade, making single-year changes less reliable. Overall, this school offers a supportive attendance environment but faces systemic math weaknesses and a declining trajectory that warrant close attention from incoming families.
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