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Moccasin Elementary School

Q: Is Moccasin Elementary School a good school?

Moccasin Elementary School ranks 359 th of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 2-4

359^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 Michigan Elementary Schools

Better than 76% of Michigan elementary schools

Summary

Moccasin Elementary School in Buchanan, MI, serves 354 students in grades 2 through 4 and is part of the highly rated Buchanan Community Schools district, which holds a 4-star rating and ranks in the 81st percentile statewide.

Moccasin Elementary is a standout performer in southwest Michigan, currently holding a 4-star rating and ranking in the 76th percentile of Michigan elementary schools. What makes this particularly impressive is the school's consistent upward trajectory—a decade ago it ranked in the 39th percentile with a 2-star rating, and it has since climbed steadily to become a top-quartile school. The academic results speak for themselves: 3rd-grade math proficiency sits at 61.3% and 3rd-grade ELA at 54.1%, both well above state averages. These numbers far exceed nearby schools like Brandywine Elementary School (22% math proficiency) and Lybrook Elementary School (15.2% 3rd-grade ELA). Notably, Moccasin achieves these results while spending less per student ($11,519) than many lower-performing neighbors, such as Sylvester Elementary School ($19,600).

Perhaps the most defining characteristic of Moccasin is its exceptional effectiveness with students from low socio-economic backgrounds. While 57% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch, the school ranks in the 89th percentile statewide for academic outcomes with this subgroup—a remarkable feat that shows economic disadvantage does not dictate success here. The school also excels with multi-racial students, ranking 8th out of 93 schools statewide (91st percentile, 5 stars). Chronic absenteeism is notably low at 15.3%, far better than the state average of 27.9% and the district's own 18.4%. One area of concern is a recent decline in performance with special education students, dropping from the 53rd to the 23rd percentile in the last year—a trend worth monitoring. Overall, Moccasin represents a model of equitable, cost-effective education that has sustained excellence for nearly a decade.

354

Students ?

18.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,519

Per pupil spending ?

57.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

410 Moccasin St
Buchanan, MI 49107-1252

(269) 695-8408

District: Buchanan Community Schools

Students who attend Moccasin Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Buchanan Middle School
High:	Buchanan High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

81.1%

Two or more races:

9.3%

Hispanic:

5.4%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Moccasin Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 84th percentile in 2022 → 76th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Michigan average (53% vs 40% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 24% of Michigan elementary schools

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped from its 84th-percentile peak (2022) to 76th (2026)

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school53%

District avg53%

Michigan avg40%

359^th of 1,492

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Top 24%▲ up 37 pts since 2016

From bottom 39% (2016) to top 24% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

118^th of 625Buchanan Community Schools 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
2026	73.8	359 of 1492	75.9%	★★★★☆
2025	67.5	449 of 1488	69.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	70.7	396 of 1486	73.4%	★★★★☆
2023	78.3	269 of 1470	81.7%	★★★★☆
2022	80.8	211 of 1344	84.3%	★★★★☆
2021	71.6	260 of 1153	77.5%	★★★★☆
2019	58.1	547 of 1408	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	56.7	674 of 1448	53.5%	★★★☆☆
2017	43.6	800 of 1466	45.4%	★★☆☆☆
2016	40.3	949 of 1548	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2011	26.8	1329 of 1552	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	54.1	981 of 1552	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2009	39.6	1231 of 1589	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	61.8	713 of 1577	54.8%	★★★☆☆
2007	58.2	786 of 1565	49.8%	★★☆☆☆
2006	58.0	784 of 1545	49.3%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	69.9	326 of 1343	75.7%	★★★★☆
2025	59.8	480 of 1338	64.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	60.6	459 of 1342	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	79.6	193 of 1321	85.4%	★★★★☆
2022	78.9	167 of 1106	84.9%	★★★★☆
2021	79.3	128 of 902	85.8%	★★★★☆
2019	56.3	480 of 1171	59.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	61.1	575 of 1443	60.2%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	81.0	144 of 1352	89.3%	★★★★☆
2025	74.4	238 of 1346	82.3%	★★★★☆
2024	75.2	228 of 1381	83.5%	★★★★☆
2023	81.8	142 of 1350	89.5%	★★★★☆
2022	87.1	46 of 1099	95.8%	★★★★★
2021	79.8	75 of 749	90.0%	★★★★★
2019	58.6	411 of 1134	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.4	681 of 1397	51.3%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	70.3	357 of 1372	74.0%	★★★★☆
2025	66.4	425 of 1366	68.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	71.6	333 of 1347	75.3%	★★★★☆
2023	71.3	329 of 1334	75.3%	★★★★☆
2022	77.9	200 of 1139	82.4%	★★★★☆
2021	57.3	347 of 915	62.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	51.9	554 of 1196	53.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	50.7	742 of 1446	48.7%	★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	86.9	8 of 93	91.4%	★★★★★
2024	61.3	20 of 78	74.4%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	28.6	195 of 252	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	49.4	105 of 225	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	54.1	16 of 32	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	35.3	264 of 403	34.5%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	61.5	423 of 1199	64.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	52.8	553 of 1206	54.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.5	412 of 1204	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	70.4	310 of 1198	74.1%	★★★★☆
2022	74.2	242 of 1102	78.0%	★★★★☆
2021	67.9	277 of 1005	72.4%	★★★★☆
2019	45.8	612 of 1128	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	45.4	704 of 1253	43.8%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Multi-racial (2025)91st percentile+22 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)89th percentile+13 vs school

Female (2026)76th percentile~ school

Male (2026)74th percentile~ school

White (2026)65th percentile-11 vs school

Special Education (2025)23rd percentile-47 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2025-2026) ?

Math54%+12 vs state

English Language Arts52%+12 vs state

★

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Schools Near Moccasin Elementary School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				PSAT English Language Arts (2026)	PSAT Mathematics (2026)	M-Step English Language Arts (2026)					M-Step Math (2026)					M-Step Science (2026)		M-Step Social Studies (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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 (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSAT English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSAT Mathematics 8th Grade	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 English Language Arts 7th Grade	M-Step Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th Grade	M-Step Math 6th Grade	M-Step Math 7th Grade	M-Step Science 5th Grade	M-Step Science 8th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Moccasin Elementary School	Public	2-4	410 Moccasin St	Buchanan	49107	Berrien County	Buchanan Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 695-8408	354	19	18.8	57.1%	287 (81.1%)	15 (4.2%)	19 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (9.3%)	73.8	359^th of 1492 public elementary schools	75.9%		67.5	449^th of 1488 public elementary schools	69.8%	90			54.1	50.4				61.3	46.1								$11,519	$417	$11,102
Ottawa Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-1	109 Ottawa St	Buchanan	49107	Berrien County	Buchanan Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 695-8409	230	15	15.1	62.2%	195 (84.8%)	5 (2.2%)	10 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.7%)	1 (0.4%)	15 (6.5%)								(n/a)																	$15,527	$893	$14,634
Ballard Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1601 W Chicago Rd	Niles	49120	Berrien County	Niles Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 683-5900	516	28	18.4	77.7%	311 (60.3%)	62 (12.0%)	77 (14.9%)	3 (0.6%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	59 (11.4%)	44.7	782^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	47.6%		46.8	768^th of 1488 public elementary schools	48.4%	14			37.0	39.0	45.6			41.1	35.4	32.5			39.2		12.8		$14,047	$2,046	$12,000
Northside Child Development Center	Public	PK-K	2020 N 5th St	Niles	49120	Berrien County	Niles Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 683-1982	13	3	4.4	23.1%	11 (84.6%)	1 (7.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (7.7%)								(n/a)																	$27,161	$10,353	$16,808
Eastside Connections School	Public, Magnet	K-8	1 Tyler St	Niles	49120	Berrien County	Niles Community Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(269) 682-2585	403	22	18.5	51.1%	257 (63.8%)	57 (14.1%)	42 (10.4%)	2 (0.5%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (9.9%)	69	423^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	71.6%		76.1	321^st of 1488 public elementary schools	78.4%	102	74.1	35.2	34.1	68.5	65.5	80.4	64.1	43.2	70.4	34.5	27.7	43.6	43.1	48.1	32.8	55.6	$13,710	$1,038	$12,672
Brandywine Elementary School	Public	3-6	2428 S 13th St	Niles	49120	Berrien County	Brandywine Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 684-8574	379	23	16.5	68.6%	310 (81.8%)	16 (4.2%)	19 (5.0%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.1%)	2 (0.5%)	27 (7.1%)	14.4	1290^th of 1492 public elementary schools	13.5%		19.9	1159^th of 1488 public elementary schools	22.1%	131			14.3	25.6	21.7	16.3		22.0	16.7	8.7	12.8		19.6		12.0		$13,876	$1,223	$12,653
Merritt Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	1620 Lasalle Ave	Niles	49120	Berrien County	Brandywine Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 684-6511	304	22	14.0	73.0%	235 (77.3%)	9 (3.0%)	25 (8.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	1 (0.3%)	30 (9.9%)								(n/a)																	$14,262	$1,684	$12,577
Mars Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	1 Sylvester Ave	Berrien Springs	49103	Berrien County	Berrien Springs Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 471-1836	338	28	12.0	60.1%	133 (39.3%)	95 (28.1%)	56 (16.6%)	17 (5.0%)	5 (1.5%)	7 (2.1%)	25 (7.4%)								(n/a)																	$18,750	$873	$17,876
Sylvester Elementary School	Public	2-5	1 Sylvester Ave	Berrien Springs	49103	Berrien County	Berrien Springs Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 471-7198	394	27	14.5	62.2%	166 (42.1%)	122 (31.0%)	57 (14.5%)	13 (3.3%)	1 (0.3%)	5 (1.3%)	30 (7.6%)	40	860^th of 1492 public elementary schools	42.4%		48.4	745^th of 1488 public elementary schools	49.9%	115			32.5	39.3	35.1			35.3	44.4	30.8			33.1		16.5		$19,600	$1,090	$18,510
HowardEllis Elementary School	Public	K-5	2788 Mannix St	Niles	49120	Berrien County	Niles Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 683-4633	529	27	19.4	66.4%	336 (63.5%)	85 (16.1%)	48 (9.1%)	2 (0.4%)	4 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	53 (10.0%)	49.2	708^th of 1492 public elementary schools	52.5%		57.3	601^st of 1488 public elementary schools	59.6%	107			35.3	36.4	51.3			50.6	37.5	29.2			40.2		21.6		$13,892	$1,466	$12,426

Frequently Asked Questions about Moccasin Elementary School

What district is Moccasin Elementary School in?

Buchanan Community Schools

How many students attend Moccasin Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 354 students attended Moccasin Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Moccasin Elementary School?

Students at Moccasin Elementary School are 81% White, 9% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic, 4% African American.

What schools do graduates of Moccasin Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Moccasin Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Buchanan Middle School
High : Buchanan High School

Is Moccasin Elementary School a good school?

Moccasin Elementary School ranks 359^th of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Rate Moccasin Elementary School!

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Latest Michigan data All new data »

2025–26 M-Step, PSAT & SAT test scoresSep 4, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJun 13, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataJan 6, 2026

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.