Summary:
Tecumseh Public Schools is a mid-sized Michigan district serving about 2,387 students across five schools—two elementary schools, one middle school, one high school, and one virtual academy—in a community with a notable share of low-income families, as reflected in free/reduced lunch rates ranging from roughly 30% to 56%.
The district’s standout is Tecumseh High School, which has surged from the 69th to the 88th percentile in state rankings over two years, now placing in the top 12.5% of Michigan high schools. Its SAT reading and writing scores beat the state by nearly 15 points, and its 91.4% graduation rate tops both district and state averages. Tecumseh Middle School remains solid, with 8th grade PSAT English proficiency at 73.5% (9 points above the state) and strong science scores, though its overall ranking has slipped to the 66th percentile. Among the two elementary schools, Tecumseh Acres Early Learning Center and Sutton Early Learning Center show volatile year-to-year results—Sutton dropped sharply in 3rd grade ELA and math, while Tecumseh Acres improved—making multi-year trends more reliable than single-year snapshots. The clear challenge is Tecumseh Virtual Academy, which struggles with a 68.6% chronic absenteeism rate and a 26.4% dropout rate, though it serves a higher-need population at a much lower per-student cost.
District-wide, science is a consistent strength, with proficiency exceeding state averages at 5th, 8th, and 11th grades. However, early-grade math is a weakness—both elementary schools trail the state by about 9–10 points in 3rd grade math. Chronic absenteeism strongly tracks outcomes: the high school’s 15.3% rate aligns with its top-tier performance, while the virtual academy’s 68.6% rate correlates with its struggles. For parents, this district offers a high-performing high school and solid middle school science and English programs, but early math support and attendance interventions—especially at the elementary and virtual levels—could be the most impactful areas to watch.
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