Okemos Public Schools

Okemos Public Schools is a top-ranked Michigan district serving about 4,639 students across seven schools in the affluent Okemos area, including four elementary schools (PK-4), two middle schools, and one high school. The district holds a 5-star rating and ranks #41 out of 625 Michigan districts, with academic performance that consistently doubles or triples state averages across nearly every subject and grade level.

The district’s standout is Okemos Public MontessoriCentral, ranked #13 in Michigan, where 3rd and 4th graders hit 76-83% proficiency in ELA and math—20 to 30 points higher than the three traditional elementaries (Bennett Woods Elementary School, Hiawatha Elementary School, and Cornell Elementary School), which cluster between 46-67% proficiency. At the secondary level, Okemos High School ranks #21 in the state with a 93.4% graduation rate and SAT scores more than double the state average, while Chippewa Middle School (ranked #39) posts 88.4% proficiency in 8th grade ELA. Kinawa School serves grades 5-6 and rounds out the middle-level options.

For parents, the key takeaway is that the Montessori model is the clear differentiator—not demographics, since all schools serve similarly affluent populations. However, math is the district’s relative weak spot, especially at Cornell Elementary School, which dropped 153 ranking spots this year as 4th grade math fell from 63% to 46.2% despite high per-student spending. Chronic absenteeism also varies widely, from 11.4% at Bennett Woods to 19.5% at Hiawatha, which has the lowest test scores in the district. While Okemos High School shows a slight “drop-off” from middle school ELA scores, the district’s overall excellence is undeniable—just know that the traditional elementaries are good, but Montessori Central is exceptional.