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Buchanan Middle School

Q: Is Buchanan Middle School a good school?

Buchanan Middle School ranks 317 th of 896 Michigan middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 5-7

317^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 896 Michigan Middle Schools

Better than 65% of Michigan middle schools

Summary

Buchanan Middle School serves 358 students in grades 5-7 in Buchanan, MI, as part of Buchanan Community Schools, a district ranked in the top 20% of Michigan districts.

Buchanan Middle School has a track record of outperforming state averages in most subjects, particularly in 5th grade, where students exceed state proficiency rates by double digits in English language arts (55.2% vs. 43.8% statewide) and by nearly 8 points in social studies. This is notable given that 62% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, a higher rate than many neighboring schools. However, the school has seen a recent decline from its peak ranking in 2023-2024 (86th percentile) to the 65th percentile in 2025-2026. The most concerning trend is in 6th grade, where ELA proficiency dropped from 53% to 34.1% in just two years—now below the state average. Chronic absenteeism (27.4%) is also nearly double the district average and may be a contributing factor. While the school still outperforms demographically similar neighbors like Brandywine Middle School (49th percentile) and Berrien Springs Middle School (69th percentile), it lags behind higher-performing regional schools like FC Reed Middle School (89th percentile) and Upton Middle School (90th percentile), which serve more affluent populations.

One of Buchanan's most distinctive features is its efficiency. At $11,749 per student, it spends $2,000-$8,000 less than nearly every comparable school in the region—FC Reed spends $19,661, Ring Lardner Middle School spends $14,765, and Dowagiac Middle School spends $14,312—while still achieving upper-half results. The school also maintains a higher student-teacher ratio (19.4:1) than many peers. For parents, this suggests a school that has historically done more with less, but the recent two-year decline—especially among low-income students, who fell from the 89th to 56th percentile—signals that additional investment in instructional support and attendance initiatives may be needed to reverse the trend and return to its former standing.

358

Students ?

19.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,749

Per pupil spending ?

62.3%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in Michigan receive free school meals.

610 W 4th St
Buchanan, MI 49107-1175

(269) 695-8406

District: Buchanan Community Schools

Students who attend Buchanan Middle School usually attend:

High:

Buchanan High School

Feeder schools for Buchanan Middle School:

Elementary:	Moccasin Elementary School
	Ottawa Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

86.9%

Two or more races:

6.7%

Hispanic:

3.6%

See top rated Michigan middle schools

Compare Buchanan Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 79th percentile in 2016 → 65th in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the Michigan median (65th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 14 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school39%

District avg39%

Michigan avg36%

317^th of 896

Michigan public middle schools ?

Top 35%▼ down 15 pts since 2016

From top 21% (2016) to top 35% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Middle 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	58.4	317 of 896	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	67.2	237 of 890	73.4%	★★★★☆
2024	80.0	130 of 897	85.5%	★★★★☆
2023	63.9	256 of 883	71.0%	★★★★☆
2022	68.9	183 of 776	76.4%	★★★★☆
2021	70.4	149 of 675	77.9%	★★★★☆
2019	60.9	260 of 792	67.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	66.1	275 of 838	67.2%	★★★☆☆
2017	56.8	299 of 821	63.6%	★★★☆☆
2016	74.0	185 of 894	79.3%	★★★★☆
2015	79.5	141 of 919	84.7%	★★★★☆
2014	78.3	153 of 921	83.4%	★★★★☆
2013	55.4	399 of 919	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2012	44.8	530 of 900	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2011	64.3	362 of 858	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2010	69.3	297 of 851	65.1%	★★★☆☆
2009	67.7	329 of 847	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2008	63.1	385 of 839	54.1%	★★★☆☆
2007	63.5	359 of 823	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2006	49.8	523 of 806	35.1%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	57.9	282 of 789	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	77.6	121 of 789	84.7%	★★★★☆
2024	81.0	96 of 771	87.5%	★★★★☆
2023	64.1	208 of 770	73.0%	★★★★☆
2022	69.0	144 of 657	78.1%	★★★★☆
2021	66.1	123 of 521	76.4%	★★★★☆
2019	61.2	219 of 658	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	62.1	277 of 794	65.1%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	50.8	369 of 834	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	70.2	166 of 832	80.0%	★★★★☆
2024	77.7	94 of 836	88.8%	★★★★☆
2023	50.0	367 of 825	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	60.9	206 of 691	70.2%	★★★★☆
2021	68.2	108 of 523	79.3%	★★★★☆
2019	61.2	212 of 672	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	69.8	184 of 815	77.4%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	48.8	366 of 813	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	47.3	382 of 798	52.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	72.7	158 of 786	79.9%	★★★★☆
2023	55.5	287 of 776	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	58.8	212 of 658	67.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	66.4	133 of 540	75.4%	★★★★☆
2019	49.1	292 of 639	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	66.3	230 of 797	71.1%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	50.2	306 of 687	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	56.5	261 of 696	62.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	71.7	155 of 701	77.9%	★★★★☆
2023	53.6	271 of 688	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	65.8	169 of 638	73.5%	★★★★☆
2021	66.7	144 of 577	75.0%	★★★★☆
2019	53.9	259 of 624	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	50.3	324 of 678	52.2%	★★★☆☆

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)

Female (2026)64th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)56th percentile-9 vs school

White (2026)55th percentile-9 vs school

Male (2026)55th percentile-10 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2025-2026) ?

Science45%+5 vs state

English Language Arts45%+5 vs state

Social Studies35%+8 vs state

Math34%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Buchanan Middle 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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	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 5th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 6th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 7th 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
Buchanan Middle School	Public	5-7	610 W 4th St	Buchanan	49107	Berrien County	Buchanan Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 695-8406	358	18	19.4	62.3%	311 (86.9%)	8 (2.2%)	13 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (6.7%)	58.4	317^th of 896 public middle schools	64.6%		67.2	237^th of 890 public middle schools	73.4%	80			55.2	34.1	45.2	32.8	32.6	35.7	44.8		35.2		$11,749	$344	$11,405
Ring Lardner Middle School	Public	6-8	801 N 17th St	Niles	49120	Berrien County	Niles Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 683-6610	510	29	17.4	59.8%	333 (65.3%)	58 (11.4%)	55 (10.8%)	4 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	59 (11.6%)	56.7	338^th of 896 public middle schools	62.3%		56.4	338^th of 890 public middle schools	62.0%		68.7	38.1		39.2	37.4		28.8	33.0		42.6		40.8	$14,765	$1,195	$13,569
Brandywine Middle School	Public	7-8	1700 Bell Rd	Niles	49120	Berrien County	Brandywine Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 683-4800	183	11	16.9	62.3%	144 (78.7%)	8 (4.4%)	9 (4.9%)	1 (0.5%)	3 (1.6%)	1 (0.5%)	17 (9.3%)	45.5	459^th of 896 public middle schools	48.8%		40.4	523^rd of 890 public middle schools	41.2%	64	68.2	23.5			26.5			14.3		40.0		56.5	$13,822	$946	$12,876
Berrien Springs Middle School	Public	6-8	502 Middle School Drive	Berrien Springs	49103	Berrien County	Berrien Springs Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 471-2796	424	27	15.6	58.5%	163 (38.4%)	136 (32.1%)	67 (15.8%)	18 (4.2%)	3 (0.7%)	4 (0.9%)	33 (7.8%)	61.5	281^st of 896 public middle schools	68.6%		55.7	342^nd of 890 public middle schools	61.6%	61	62.8	38.5		38.5	40.5		30.7	37.4		42.9		55.1	$15,753	$874	$14,879
Eau Claire Middle School	Public	6-8	7450 Hochberger Rd	Eau Claire	49111	Berrien County	Eau Claire Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 461-6997	139	10	13.9	91.4%	28 (20.1%)	39 (28.1%)	68 (48.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.9%)	16.2	746^th of 896 public middle schools	16.7%		14.2	764^th of 890 public middle schools	14.2%	18	35.6	343.6		15.8	13.2		1565.9	18.4		22.2		26.7	$14,119	$1,406	$12,713
FC Reed Middle School	Public	5-8	10254 California	Bridgman	49106	Berrien County	Bridgman Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 465-5410	261	20	13.1	38.3%	222 (85.1%)	3 (1.1%)	21 (8.0%)	4 (1.5%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.8%)	86.4	97^th of 896 public middle schools	89.2%		91.2	62^nd of 890 public middle schools	93.0%	35	85.2	67.2	61.0	47.8	61.2	54.2	43.3	40.3	55.9	60.7	37.3	82.0	$19,661	$459	$19,202
Lakeshore Middle School	Public	6-8	1459 W John Beers Rd	Stevensville	49127	Berrien County	Lakeshore School District (Berrien)	No	No	No	No	(269) 428-1408	612	36	17.0	33.2%	498 (81.4%)	30 (4.9%)	43 (7.0%)	19 (3.1%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	20 (3.3%)	83.8	115^th of 896 public middle schools	87.2%		84.7	103^rd of 890 public middle schools	88.4%	12	74.2	47.4		54.5	44.5		56.5	49.5		62.1		63.7	$14,484	$947	$13,537
Edwardsburg Middle School	Public	6-8	69230 Section St	Edwardsburg	49112	Cass County	Edwardsburg Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 663-1031	612	32	19.3	36.9%	552 (90.2%)	3 (0.5%)	30 (4.9%)	2 (0.3%)	5 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (3.3%)	84	114^th of 896 public middle schools	87.3%		87.5	89^th of 890 public middle schools	90.0%	25	83.9	53.3		52.9	50.0		47.7	42.4		52.5		67.0	$13,058	$538	$12,521
Upton Middle School	Public	6-8	800 Maiden Ln	Saint Joseph	49085	Berrien County	St. Joseph Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 926-3400	690	36	19.0	20.7%	510 (73.9%)	57 (8.3%)	54 (7.8%)	34 (4.9%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	33 (4.8%)	87.8	87^th of 896 public middle schools	90.3%		89.8	73^rd of 890 public middle schools	91.8%	14	88.0	52.9		51.2	50.0		52.7	50.4		62.7		70.2	$13,256	$536	$12,720
Dowagiac Middle School	Public	6-8	57072 Riverside Dr	Dowagiac	49047	Cass County	Dowagiac Union School District	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 782-4440	393	21	18.5	70.7%	222 (56.5%)	29 (7.4%)	83 (21.1%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (12.7%)	34.7	569^th of 896 public middle schools	36.5%		47.2	443^rd of 890 public middle schools	50.2%	126	55.0	21.7		29.9	27.2		19.5	17.6		33.9		43.0	$14,312	$1,227	$13,085

Frequently Asked Questions about Buchanan Middle School

How many students attend Buchanan Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 358 students attended Buchanan Middle School.

What high school do graduates of Buchanan Middle School attend?

Students who attend Buchanan Middle School usually go on to attend Buchanan High School

Is Buchanan Middle School a good school?

Buchanan Middle School ranks 317^th of 896 Michigan middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Buchanan Middle School in?

Buchanan Community Schools

What is the racial makeup of Buchanan Middle School?

Students at Buchanan Middle School are 87% White, 7% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic, 2% African American.

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Schools in Buchanan, MI

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Latest Michigan data All new data »

2021–22 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)NewOct 19, 2026

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

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.