Morrice Area Schools

Morrice Area Schools is a small, rural Michigan district with two schools—Morrice Area High School (grades 6-12, 215 students) and Morrice Area Elementary School (grades PK-5, 196 students)—serving about 411 students total.

The two schools present very different academic profiles. Morrice Area High School is the clear standout, particularly its 8th grade cohort, which beats state averages in every subject—75% proficient in PSAT ELA (state: 64.8%), 42.9% in math (state: 33.2%), and strong showings in science and social studies. However, the high school’s performance is volatile: it jumped to the 82nd percentile in 2024-2025, then fell back to the 45th percentile the next year, with 11th grade SAT reading dropping from 72.2% to 41.7% proficiency. By contrast, Morrice Area Elementary School has been consistently weaker, hovering in the 27th-36th percentile range with 1-star status. Its 5th graders struggle most—only 18.5% proficient in science (state: 40%) and 11.1% in social studies (state: 27.5%)—though 4th grade math (42.9%) does exceed the state average.

Despite mixed test scores, the district excels at keeping students on track: a 96.5% graduation rate and 0% dropout rate, both far better than state averages. Chronic absenteeism (23.4%) is below the state rate but still affects nearly a quarter of students. A notable oddity is spending: the high school spends $21,455 per student versus just $11,196 at the elementary school, yet the elementary school has a much lower student-teacher ratio (10.8:1 vs 18.9:1). With such small cohorts, year-to-year swings are expected—a single strong class can dramatically shift results. Parents should view the high school’s 8th grade success as proof the district can achieve above-average outcomes, but should also note the elementary school’s persistent challenges and the sharp 5th grade drop-off in science and social studies, which may warrant attention to curriculum alignment and resource allocation between the two buildings.