Summary:
Yale Junior High School is the sole middle school in Yale Public Schools, serving grades 6-8 with 425 students in the rural community of Yale, Michigan.
This school is a strong performer overall, consistently earning a 4-star rating and ranking in the top 20% of Michigan middle schools. Its biggest academic strength is English Language Arts, where proficiency rates run 12 to 23 percentage points above state averages across grades 6, 7, and 8. Math scores are also above state averages, but by a smaller margin (3 to 16 points). The most striking internal gap appears in 8th grade PSAT results: 77% of students are proficient in ELA, but only 36.2% are proficient in math—a 40.8-point difference that suggests math instruction or student preparation may need extra attention. Science and social studies scores for 8th graders are only slightly above state averages, making those subjects relative weak points compared to the school's ELA dominance.
Attendance is a bright spot, with a chronic absenteeism rate of 19.1%—well below the state's 27.9%—though it is higher than the district's 15.9% average. The school serves a moderately diverse population, with 37% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, yet still achieves strong outcomes. Per-student spending is $13,434. One concern is a gradual decline in state ranking, from the 87th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 80th percentile in 2025-2026. Additionally, 8th grade social studies proficiency dropped 8 points year-over-year (from 60.5% to 52.6%), while math and science scores improved. For parents, this is a solid, above-average school with clear strengths in reading and writing, but one where math and social studies trends deserve monitoring.
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