Summary:
The Kaleva Norman Dickson School District contains just one middle school, Brethren Middle School, which serves 85 students in grades 7 and 8 in the small, rural community of Brethren, MI.
Brethren Middle School is currently facing significant academic and attendance challenges. The school ranks in the 24th percentile statewide (680 out of 896 Michigan middle schools) and holds a 1-star rating. Proficiency rates are well below state averages in every subject. For example, only 12.2% of 7th graders are proficient in math compared to the state average of 33.3%, and 8th grade social studies proficiency sits at 28.2% versus the state's 50.3%. A major concern is the chronic absenteeism rate of 41.3%, meaning over 4 in 10 students miss substantial school days—this is nearly 1.5 times the state average and is likely a key driver of the low test scores. The student body is also largely economically disadvantaged, with 70.59% eligible for free or reduced lunch.
Despite these struggles, there are a few notable points. The school's strongest area is 8th grade ELA on the PSAT, where 51.3% of students met proficiency—still below the state's 64.8% but a clear relative strength compared to math and science. The school also benefits from solid resources: per-student spending is $16,211, and the student-teacher ratio is a favorable 13.7:1. However, these advantages have not translated into better outcomes, suggesting the core issues are tied to poverty and absenteeism rather than funding or class size. Test scores also fluctuate significantly year to year—7th grade ELA jumped from 11.9% to 20.4% proficiency—which, given the small cohort of 85 students, means a handful of students can dramatically shift the percentages, making it hard to gauge true progress. For parents, this school offers small class sizes and targeted support potential, but addressing the attendance crisis will be essential for improvement.
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