Middle Schools in L'Anse Creuse Public Schools

The four middle schools in L'Anse Creuse Public Schools—Middle School East, Middle School North, Middle School Central, and Middle School South—serve grades 6-8 across Chesterfield, Macomb, and Harrison Township, enrolling about 2,228 students combined in a district that earns a 3-star rating statewide.

Middle School North stands out as the top performer, earning a 4-star rating and ranking in the 71st percentile statewide. It leads the district in 8th-grade PSAT English Language Arts, with 78.5% proficiency—nearly 14 points above the state average. In contrast, Middle School South ranks lowest at the 40th percentile, serving the highest share of economically disadvantaged students (56% free/reduced lunch) and posting the highest chronic absenteeism rate (33.4%). Notably, South receives the most funding per student ($17,677) and has the smallest class sizes, yet outcomes lag—suggesting resources alone don't offset challenges like absenteeism. Middle School East shows the strongest math results, exceeding state averages in both 6th and 7th grades, while Middle School Central struggles with declining 6th-grade math proficiency (down to 18.9%) and weak 8th-grade PSAT math (21.1%).

Across the district, 7th-grade English Language Arts is a clear strength—all four schools beat the state average of 38.4%, with scores from 39.4% to 49.5%. However, mathematics remains the critical weakness, with most schools trailing state averages, particularly in 8th grade where only North exceeds the state math benchmark. Chronic absenteeism correlates with performance: East's lowest rate (20.3%) aligns with its math success, while South's highest rate (33.4%) tracks with its bottom ranking. Year-over-year data shows volatility, like North's 11-point drop in 6th-grade ELA, complicating trend analysis. Encouragingly, all schools improved in 8th-grade social studies, suggesting district-wide curriculum gains. For parents, North offers the strongest academics, East provides balanced math strength, Central shows mixed results with math concerns, and South faces significant hurdles despite extra resources.