Clarenceville Middle School

Clarenceville Middle School in Livonia, MI, serves 370 students in grades 6-8 and is part of the Clarenceville School District, which has faced significant academic challenges in recent years.

For parents considering this school, the most important thing to understand is that test scores are significantly below state averages, especially in math. In 6th grade, only 5.6% of students are proficient in math, compared to 50.8% at Riley Upper Elementary School and 40.2% at Power Middle School, both just a few miles away in higher-performing districts. This gap continues into 8th grade, where only 9.4% of Clarenceville students are proficient on the PSAT math section, versus roughly 52% at Frost Middle School and Holmes Middle School. Chronic absenteeism is a major concern, with 42.6% of students missing significant school time—nearly double the state average and far above the 22-23% rates at nearby Frost, Holmes, and Power. Nearly 70% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic challenges many families face.

There are some bright spots worth noting. The school shows a relative strength in 8th-grade social studies, where 38.8% of students are proficient—only about 11 points below the state average, a much smaller gap than in other subjects. Additionally, the school has seen meaningful improvement for African American students, with their ranking jumping from the 15th to the 34th percentile in the past year. However, the overall trajectory has been downward since 2015-2016, when the school held a 3-star rating. It's also notable that Clarenceville spends about $15,973 per student—comparable to higher-performing neighbors like Emerson Middle School—which suggests that funding alone isn't the solution. Parents should weigh these factors carefully and consider visiting the school to see if its environment and supports align with their child's needs.