CLK Elementary School

CLK Elementary School in Calumet, MI, serves 496 students in Kindergarten through 5th grade within the Public Schools of Calumet Laurium & Keweenaw district, a school that has consistently earned a 3-star rating and serves a community where nearly half of its students come from low socio-economic backgrounds.

One of the most defining characteristics of CLK Elementary is the dramatic difference in student performance between early and later elementary grades. In the most recent school year, 3rd and 4th graders significantly outperformed state averages in both English Language Arts and Math—for example, 3rd-grade ELA proficiency reached 52.7% compared to the state's 38.2%. However, this advantage completely disappears by 5th grade, where proficiency rates plummet to 27.2% in ELA and just 17.3% in Math, both well below state averages. This sharp decline is particularly striking when compared to Houghton Elementary School, located just 10.7 miles away, which maintains consistent, high performance across all grades—achieving a 57.1% proficiency rate in 5th-grade Math compared to CLK's 17.3%. While CLK actually outperforms Houghton in 3rd-grade ELA, the gap widens considerably in upper grades, suggesting a potential issue with curriculum alignment or the transition into 5th grade.

Despite these academic challenges, CLK has notable strengths. The school's chronic absenteeism rate of 16.2% is significantly better than both its district (22.9%) and the state average (27.9%), meaning students are consistently showing up to class. Additionally, 5th-grade Science scores have been a bright spot, with 48.1% proficiency in a recent year—well above the state average of 40.3%. The school also spends slightly more per student ($13,881) than the state average, though its results don't match the efficiency seen at Houghton, which spends a similar amount for far better outcomes. For parents considering CLK, the school offers a strong foundation in early elementary years and good attendance, but families should be aware of the significant drop-off in achievement by 5th grade—an area that clearly warrants attention and improvement.