Middle Schools in Lake Orion Community Schools

The three middle schools in Lake Orion Community Schools—Waldon Middle School, Oakview Middle School, and Scripps Middle School—serve grades 6-8 in a suburban Detroit district that ranks in the top 12% of Michigan school systems.

All three schools are strong academic performers, but each has a distinct profile. Scripps Middle School leads the pack in 6th and 7th-grade core subjects, posting the highest proficiency rates in 6th-grade ELA (59.2%), 6th-grade math (57.1%), and 7th-grade ELA (60.2%). However, Scripps shows a notable weakness in 8th-grade science, where just 45.3% of students are proficient—a dramatic 14-point drop from the prior year and far below its sister schools. Waldon Middle School is the standout in 8th-grade content, with the highest scores in science (57.9%), social studies (77.8%), and PSAT math (53.5%). Waldon also has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (11.4%) but struggles in 7th-grade ELA (49.7%), which is roughly 10 points behind the other two schools. Oakview Middle School offers the most balanced performance, ranking in the 89th percentile for two consecutive years, but its chronic absenteeism rate of 19.4% is a concern—nearly double Waldon's rate and well above the district average.

Across the district, every subject exceeds state averages by 15-30 percentage points, and all three schools rank within the top 12% of Michigan middle schools. The most pressing district-wide challenge is PSAT math, where proficiency ranges from just 42.4% at Oakview to 53.5% at Waldon—a 23-34 point gap compared to PSAT ELA scores. Math scores also show significant year-over-year volatility, with drops of 10-11 points at both Waldon and Scripps in certain grades. Notably, per-student spending does not predict outcomes: Scripps spends the most ($19,771) yet has the weakest 8th-grade science, while Oakview spends the least ($16,500) and matches or exceeds Scripps in several 8th-grade metrics. While all three schools have seen slight ranking declines over three years, they remain excellent choices, with families able to prioritize schools based on specific academic strengths.