Saranac Community Schools

Saranac Community Schools is a small, two-school district in rural Michigan serving about 839 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, earning a 4-star rating and ranking in the 72nd percentile statewide.

For parents, the standout is Saranac JrSr High School, which posts a remarkable 98.4% graduation rate and a 0% dropout rate—far better than state averages. It also ranks in the 80th percentile of Michigan high schools. Early college readiness is a clear strength: 8th and 10th graders score well above state proficiency on PSAT ELA (77.3% and 76.7% vs. 64.8% and 58.0%), and 10th grade PSAT math beats the state by 13.5 points. However, there is a sharp drop-off by 11th grade, where SAT reading fell 21 points to 40% and math fell to 20%—a disconnect worth asking the school about. Meanwhile, Saranac Elementary School provides a solid foundation, ranking in the 65th percentile, with strong 5th grade social studies (37.5% vs. 27.5% state) and 6th grade ELA above state levels. But math proficiency is volatile—6th grade math plunged 16.5 points to 30.5%, while 5th grade math improved 13 points.

Both schools keep chronic absenteeism far below the state rate (14.3% elementary, 16.7% high school vs. 27.9%), and the district excels in science and social studies across all tested grades. One notable pattern is the “middle school gap”: 8th grade PSAT ELA is exceptional, but 9th grade scores drop nearly 21 points, suggesting a transition challenge. Also, the elementary school spends $2,360 more per student than the high school, yet shows more academic swings. Overall, this district keeps students engaged and graduating, but parents should watch upper-grade test prep and math consistency as areas for improvement.