Summary:
Tri County Area Schools is home to a single middle school, Tri County Middle School, which serves 381 students in grades 6 through 8 in the Howard City, MI area. This school provides the only middle school option for families in this district, so the data below offers a complete picture of what parents can expect.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that Tri County Middle School is facing some significant academic challenges, particularly in math and science. The school's overall state ranking has been slipping over the past three years, dropping from the 42nd percentile to the 34th percentile. The most concerning area is 7th grade math, where only 19% of students are proficient compared to the state average of 33.3%—a gap that has widened dramatically from the previous year. Similarly, 8th graders struggle with science (25.8% proficient vs. 39.2% statewide) and social studies (35% vs. 50.3%). On a more positive note, 8th grade English Language Arts on the PSAT is a relative strength, with 60.2% proficiency, just 4.6 points below the state average. This suggests students have solid reading skills but may need more support applying them to content-heavy subjects.
Beyond test scores, there are other factors parents should consider. The school has a chronic absenteeism rate of 27.9%, meaning more than one in four students misses significant school time—this matches the state average exactly and likely contributes to learning gaps. The district spends a substantial $13,639 per student, yet this investment isn't translating into above-average results. With 41.21% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch, the school serves a moderate level of economic need. The student-teacher ratio of 17.4 is reasonable, but the combination of high absenteeism, declining rankings, and widening math gaps suggests that Tri County Middle School may need to rethink its approach to math instruction and student engagement to reverse these trends.
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