Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

South Walnut Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-4

1327^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,488 Michigan Elementary Schools

Better than 11% of Michigan elementary schools

Summary

South Walnut Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 341 students in grades PK-4 in Bangor, Michigan, which is part of the Bangor Public Schools district.

Despite being part of the Bangor district, South Walnut Elementary consistently ranks in the bottom 10-15% of Michigan elementary schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Its proficiency rates on state assessments are significantly below the state averages, often by 20-30 percentage points. The school also struggles with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 29.5% to 40.4% in recent years. Additionally, South Walnut has a very high percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating high levels of economic disadvantage among the student population.

Compared to nearby schools, such as North Elementary School in the Watervliet School District, South Walnut Elementary performs significantly worse academically, with proficiency rates 15-20 percentage points lower in English Language Arts and Math. South Walnut's struggles extend across all student subgroups, with rankings in the bottom 10-20% of Michigan elementary schools for female, male, Hispanic, White, English Language Learner, and low-socioeconomic status students. Despite these challenges, the school's performance has remained stagnant or declined over the past several years, with no significant improvements in its state rankings or proficiency rates.

341

Students ?

14.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,926

Per pupil spending ?

76.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

309 S Walnut St
Bangor, MI 49013-1350

(269) 427-6800

District: Bangor Public Schools (Van Buren)

Students who attend South Walnut Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Bangor Middle School
High:	Bangor High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

48.1%

Hispanic:

40.8%

Two or more races:

7.3%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare South Walnut Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 23rd percentile in 2015 → 11th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Michigan average (17% vs 41% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (11th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 12 percentile points since 2015

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school17%

District avg17%

Michigan avg41%

1,327^th of 1,488

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Bottom 11%▼ down 12 pts since 2015

From bottom 23% (2015) to bottom 11% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

468^th of 613Bangor Public Schools (Van Buren) among Michigan districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	11.5	1327 of 1488	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	11.9	1311 of 1486	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	14.0	1249 of 1470	15.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	18.1	1100 of 1344	18.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	13.1	1043 of 1153	9.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	23.3	1079 of 1408	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	18.1	1240 of 1448	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	13.4	1270 of 1466	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	29.5	1116 of 1548	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	25.6	1220 of 1580	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	24.6	1228 of 1533	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	22.9	1277 of 1563	18.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	37.4	1099 of 1566	29.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	33.0	1260 of 1552	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	48.3	1099 of 1552	29.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	40.2	1223 of 1589	23.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	37.8	1240 of 1577	21.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	45.2	1095 of 1565	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2006	35.7	1241 of 1545	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	17.4	146 of 173	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	19.9	152 of 180	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	22.7	239 of 270	11.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	9.5	1265 of 1338	5.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	8.6	1262 of 1342	6.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	12.7	1182 of 1321	10.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	16.0	975 of 1106	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	23.2	939 of 1171	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	20.5	1180 of 1443	18.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	15.4	193 of 209	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	22.6	151 of 188	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	36.3	53 of 86	38.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	28.5	174 of 222	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	14.8	1206 of 1346	10.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	11.6	1268 of 1381	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	16.7	1153 of 1350	14.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	26.6	849 of 1099	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	12.9	710 of 749	5.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	26.6	884 of 1134	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	20.0	1191 of 1397	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	9.5	1271 of 1366	7.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	10.7	1242 of 1347	7.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	10.3	1221 of 1334	8.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	16.0	989 of 1139	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	13.7	839 of 915	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	13.6	1077 of 1196	9.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	16.6	1231 of 1446	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	5.2	1190 of 1206	1.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	5.5	1179 of 1204	2.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	4.4	1185 of 1198	1.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	12.3	1029 of 1102	6.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	7.0	984 of 1005	2.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	21.3	944 of 1128	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	13.0	1160 of 1253	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

English Language Learner (2025)16th percentile+5 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)10th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2025)8th percentile-3 vs school

Male (2025)7th percentile-4 vs school

Female (2025)5th percentile-5 vs school

White (2025)1st percentile-9 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2024-2025) ?

Math18%-23 vs state

English Language Arts16%-25 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate South Walnut Elementary School and help other families decide.

Rate South Walnut Elementary School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near South Walnut Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				M-Step English Language Arts (2025)				M-Step Math (2025)				M-Step Science (2025)	M-Step Social Studies (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	M-Step English Language Arts 3rd Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 4th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 5th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 6th Grade	M-Step Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th Grade	M-Step Math 6th Grade	M-Step Science 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
South Walnut Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	309 S Walnut St	Bangor	49013	Van Buren County	Bangor Public Schools (Van Buren)	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 427-6800	341	23	14.8	76.8%	164 (48.1%)	13 (3.8%)	139 (40.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (7.3%)	11.5	1327^th of 1488 public elementary schools	10.8%		11.9	1311^th of 1486 public elementary schools	11.8%	16	15.7	15.9			22.0	13.0					$17,926	$3,327	$14,599
Wood School Bangor Township 8	Public, Magnet	K-8	29842 66th St	Bangor	49013	Van Buren County	Bangor Township S/D #8	No	Yes	No	No	(269) 427-8562	24	2	12.0	50.0%	17 (70.8%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (12.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (16.7%)								(n/a)											$9,065	$00	$9,065
Lawrence Elementary School	Public	K-6	714 W Saint Joseph St	Lawrence	49064	Van Buren County	Lawrence Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 674-8231	214	13	17.1	77.6%	105 (49.1%)	3 (1.4%)	96 (44.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.7%)	20.6	1145^th of 1488 public elementary schools	23.1%		29.6	1025^th of 1486 public elementary schools	31.0%	120	34.4	25.0	29.0	18.8	31.3	10.7	12.9	12.5	22.6	16.1	$16,553	$2,974	$13,579
Redwood Elementary	Public	K-5	395 Woodside Dr	Hartford	49057	Van Buren County	Hartford Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 621-7300	516	33	15.6	89.0%	177 (34.3%)	2 (0.4%)	333 (64.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	23	1112^th of 1488 public elementary schools	25.3%		21.8	1147^th of 1486 public elementary schools	22.8%	35	17.9	21.1	25.7		32.0	33.0	25.7		16.2	18.9	$13,794	$1,747	$12,047
Covert Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	35323 M 140 Hwy	Covert	49043	Van Buren County	Covert Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(269) 764-3739	144	10	14.1	81.3%	19 (13.2%)	22 (15.3%)	98 (68.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.5%)								(n/a)		12.0			21.1						$21,137	$4,576	$16,561
Maple Grove Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	72399 12th Ave	South Haven	49090	Van Buren County	South Haven Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 637-0500	300	24	12.7	73.7%	205 (68.3%)	12 (4.0%)	41 (13.7%)	9 (3.0%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (9.7%)								(n/a)	33.3				34.8						$15,026	$2,347	$12,679
Bloomingdale Elementary School	Public	K-5	307 E Willow St	Bloomingdale	49026	Van Buren County	Bloomingdale Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 521-3935	272	18	15.1	71.3%	167 (61.4%)	2 (0.7%)	83 (30.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (7.0%)	17.8	1202^nd of 1488 public elementary schools	19.2%		18.3	1194^th of 1486 public elementary schools	19.7%	8	19.5	11.6	21.7		26.8	25.6	17.4		28.3	13.0	$00	$00	$00
Lincoln School	Public	PK, KG-3	500 Elkenburg St	South Haven	49090	Van Buren County	South Haven Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 637-0540	251	19	13.5	67.3%	158 (62.9%)	27 (10.8%)	28 (11.2%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (14.3%)								(n/a)	44.6				54.7						$16,497	$2,364	$14,134
North Elementary School	Public	3-5	287 West Baldwin Ave	Watervliet	49098	Berrien County	Watervliet School District	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 463-0824	312	18	17.4	73.4%	225 (72.1%)	8 (2.6%)	61 (19.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.8%)	38.1	892^nd of 1488 public elementary schools	40.1%		39.1	865^th of 1486 public elementary schools	41.8%	27	33.7	37.6	34.0		37.1	45.5	15.5		32.0	26.2	$13,759	$1,569	$12,189
North Shore Elementary	Public	4-5	7320 N Shore Dr	South Haven	49090	Allegan County	South Haven Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 637-0500	255	17	14.6	67.5%	178 (69.8%)	17 (6.7%)	29 (11.4%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (11.0%)	42.5	827^th of 1488 public elementary schools	44.4%		34.6	942^nd of 1486 public elementary schools	36.6%	115		38.8	46.1			33.9	20.4		37.6	29.3	$14,499	$1,993	$12,507

Frequently Asked Questions about South Walnut Elementary School

What schools do graduates of South Walnut Elementary School attend?

Students who attend South Walnut Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Bangor Middle School
High : Bangor High School

Is South Walnut Elementary School a good school?

South Walnut Elementary School ranks in the bottom 10.8% of Michigan elementary schools.

How many students attend South Walnut Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 341 students attended South Walnut Elementary School.

What district is South Walnut Elementary School in?

Bangor Public Schools (Van Buren)

What is the racial makeup of South Walnut Elementary School?

Students at South Walnut Elementary School are 48% White, 41% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 4% African American.

Rate South Walnut Elementary School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

MIMichigan Elementary School Rankings

MIMichigan District Rankings

Schools in Bangor, MI

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for South Walnut Elementary School!

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Michigan Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.