South Lake Schools

South Lake Schools is a small Michigan district in Saint Clair Shores serving about 1,385 students across four schools: Avalon Elementary School (PK-2), Elmwood Elementary School (3-5), South Lake Middle School (6-8), and South Lake High School (9-12).

For parents, the standout school is Elmwood Elementary School, which is the district’s top performer with a 2-star rating and the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (25.5%, below the state average). Its 3rd-5th grade proficiency rates are within 8 points of state averages in most subjects, making it the closest to par in the district. In contrast, South Lake Middle School and South Lake High School lag significantly, with proficiency gaps of 15-27 points behind the state in core subjects. The high school does boast a strong graduation rate (89.8%) and low dropout rate (5.0%), but only 7.8% of 11th graders are proficient in SAT math. Avalon Elementary School has no test data, but its higher student-teacher ratio (18.1:1) for younger students is worth noting compared to Elmwood’s more favorable 13.8:1.

Key takeaways: Mathematics is a critical weakness, especially at 7th grade (5.8% proficient) and SAT math (7.8%). Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide issue, averaging 31.3%, with the middle school worst at 36.4%—a pattern that correlates with lower scores. On the positive side, the middle school showed strong year-over-year gains (e.g., 6th grade math jumped from 7.7% to 17.5%), and the high school improved from the 6th to 15th percentile. The district spends $15,403-$19,092 per student, yet outcomes remain below average, suggesting resource allocation could be optimized. Overall, South Lake Schools shows promise at the elementary level and signs of momentum in secondary grades, but parents should focus on math support and attendance interventions for older students.