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Justus Gage Elementary School

Q: Is Justus Gage Elementary School a good school?

Justus Gage Elementary School ranks 653 rd of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

653^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 Michigan Elementary Schools

Better than 56% of Michigan elementary schools

Summary

Justus Gage Elementary School in Dowagiac, MI, is a Pre-K through 5th grade school serving 262 students in the Dowagiac Union School District, and it has become a standout success story in the region.

What truly sets Justus Gage apart is its remarkable effectiveness with students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. With over 74% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, the school ranks in the 73rd percentile statewide for this subgroup—a 4-star rating that far exceeds expectations. This achievement is a major driver of the school's overall upward trajectory, which has climbed from the 35th percentile in 2022-2023 to the 56th percentile in 2025-2026. The school is also the clear academic leader within its district, outperforming Patrick Hamilton Elementary (19th percentile) and Sister Lakes Elementary (44th percentile). Notably, Justus Gage achieves these results while spending less per student ($13,948) than nearby schools like Davis Elementary ($19,130) and Sylvester Elementary ($19,600), demonstrating impressive financial efficiency.

The school's greatest academic strength is in 5th grade, where students consistently outperform district and state averages across all subjects. In 2025-2026, 5th graders hit 50% proficiency in English Language Arts (vs. 43.8% statewide), 44.4% in Math (vs. 32.2%), and 57.4% in Science (vs. 40%). This "5th grade effect" is also seen at Kincheloe Elementary, suggesting a district-wide strength that Justus Gage capitalizes on especially well. However, 3rd and 4th grade scores are more mixed, with 3rd-grade ELA at just 29.8% proficiency, indicating that the school's most effective interventions may be concentrated in the later elementary years. Chronic absenteeism, while improved from 52.1% in 2020-2021 to 23.1% in 2024-2025, remains a challenge—though it is better than both the district (26.5%) and state (27.9%) averages. For parents, Justus Gage represents a school that is clearly moving in the right direction, with particular strengths in supporting vulnerable students and preparing them for success in upper elementary.

262

Students ?

15.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,948

Per pupil spending ?

74.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

301 Oak St
Dowagiac, MI 49047-1378

(269) 782-4460

District: Dowagiac Union School District

Students who attend Justus Gage Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Dowagiac Middle School
High:	Union High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

66.4%

Hispanic:

16.0%

Two or more races:

8.0%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Justus Gage Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 38th percentile in 2016 → 56th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 18 percentile points since 2016

✓Above the Michigan median (56th percentile)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school39%

District avg35%

Michigan avg38%

653^rd of 1,492

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Top 44%▲ up 18 pts since 2016

From bottom 38% (2016) to top 44% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 4Elementary Schools in the Dowagiac Union School District

375^th of 625Dowagiac Union School District 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	53.4	653 of 1492	56.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	49.0	734 of 1488	50.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	42.4	810 of 1486	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	32.7	957 of 1470	34.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	31.0	913 of 1344	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	29.4	826 of 1153	28.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	33.7	934 of 1408	33.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	44.1	883 of 1448	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2017	18.6	1185 of 1466	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	39.6	958 of 1548	38.1%	★★☆☆☆
2015	52.7	761 of 1580	51.8%	★★★☆☆
2014	62.0	597 of 1533	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2013	43.6	965 of 1563	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2012	33.3	1177 of 1566	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	60.7	765 of 1552	50.7%	★★★☆☆
2010	70.1	516 of 1552	66.8%	★★★☆☆
2009	34.3	1295 of 1589	18.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	53.0	974 of 1577	38.2%	★★☆☆☆
2007	33.6	1272 of 1565	18.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	51.2	949 of 1545	38.6%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	46.6	649 of 1343	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	36.2	832 of 1338	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	39.7	771 of 1342	42.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	23.8	1010 of 1321	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	26.8	849 of 1106	23.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	45.7	464 of 902	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	31.4	832 of 1171	28.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	50.4	746 of 1443	48.3%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	65.8	365 of 1352	73.0%	★★★★☆
2025	66.2	363 of 1346	73.0%	★★★★☆
2024	52.9	580 of 1381	58.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	39.7	807 of 1350	40.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	41.7	627 of 1099	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	44.8	406 of 749	45.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	50.1	551 of 1134	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	55.2	631 of 1397	54.8%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	49.7	660 of 1372	51.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	50.3	651 of 1366	52.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	39.3	796 of 1347	40.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	33.3	877 of 1334	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	38.6	695 of 1139	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	31.9	649 of 915	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	30.8	839 of 1196	29.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	38.0	940 of 1446	35.0%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	49.0	596 of 1199	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	42.7	701 of 1206	41.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	33.7	817 of 1204	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	21.9	977 of 1198	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	26.3	843 of 1102	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	26.4	777 of 1005	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	32.5	791 of 1128	29.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	39.1	804 of 1253	35.8%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)73rd percentile+17 vs school

Male (2026)52nd percentile-4 vs school

Female (2026)52nd percentile-5 vs school

White (2026)50th percentile-6 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2025-2026) ?

Science57%+17 vs state

Math42%+3 vs state

English Language Arts34%-7 vs state

Social Studies30%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Justus Gage 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)				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	M-Step English Language Arts 3rd Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 4th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 5th Grade	M-Step Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th 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
Justus Gage Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	301 Oak St	Dowagiac	49047	Cass County	Dowagiac Union School District	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 782-4460	262	17	15.1	74.8%	174 (66.4%)	17 (6.5%)	42 (16.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (8.0%)	53.4	653^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	56.2%		49	734^th of 1488 public elementary schools	50.7%	81	29.8	22.6	50.0	48.9	32.1	44.4	57.4	29.6	$13,948	$1,928	$12,019
Patrick Hamilton Elementary	Public	K-5	614 Spruce St	Dowagiac	49047	Cass County	Dowagiac Union School District	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 782-4450	224	15	15.4	83.0%	117 (52.2%)	40 (17.9%)	37 (16.5%)	2 (0.9%)	9 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (8.5%)	18.4	1206^th of 1492 public elementary schools	19.2%		16.6	1231^st of 1488 public elementary schools	17.3%	25	27.6	25.6	22.5	23.3	25.6	14.6	20.0	10.0	$14,122	$2,059	$12,063
Kincheloe Elementary School	Public	K-5	25121 Gage St	Dowagiac	49047	Cass County	Dowagiac Union School District	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 782-4464	214	15	14.4	60.3%	160 (74.8%)	1 (0.5%)	32 (15.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (8.9%)	61.7	528^th of 1492 public elementary schools	64.6%		40.9	850^th of 1488 public elementary schools	42.9%	322	40.6	67.5	61.1	37.5	42.5	27.8	58.3	22.2	$14,806	$1,935	$12,870
Sam Adams Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	114 Depot St	Cassopolis	49031	Cass County	Cassopolis Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 445-0530	368	23	16.2	69.0%	229 (62.2%)	32 (8.7%)	28 (7.6%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	76 (20.7%)	29.3	1013^th of 1492 public elementary schools	32.1%		31.7	983^rd of 1488 public elementary schools	33.9%	30	13.8	28.8	42.9	27.6	11.5	12.9	45.7	18.6	$15,250	$1,785	$13,465
Sister Lakes Elementary School	Public	K-5	68079 M 152	Benton Harbor	49047	Cass County	Dowagiac Union School District	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 782-4468	166	12	13.8	66.9%	94 (56.6%)	1 (0.6%)	55 (33.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.2%)	2 (1.2%)	12 (7.2%)	41.3	835^th of 1492 public elementary schools	44.0%		38.1	891^st of 1488 public elementary schools	40.1%	56	34.8	25.8	48.3	34.8	35.5	34.5	34.5	20.7	$16,995	$2,448	$14,547
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
Lybrook Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6238 W Main St	Eau Claire	49111	Berrien County	Eau Claire Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 461-6191	233	18	12.7	91.0%	74 (31.8%)	75 (32.2%)	81 (34.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.3%)	15.1	1273^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	14.7%		19.9	1158^th of 1488 public elementary schools	22.2%	115	15.2	27.8	23.1	12.1	25.0	12.8	15.4	1471.5	$18,284	$2,268	$16,016
Davis Elementary School	Public	K-5	409 N Phelps St	Decatur	49045	Van Buren County	Decatur Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 423-6950	356	22	16.0	64.0%	236 (66.3%)	1 (0.3%)	96 (27.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (6.2%)	34.9	928^th of 1492 public elementary schools	37.8%		57.2	603^rd of 1488 public elementary schools	59.5%	325	19.6	38.0	33.3	25.0	39.4	27.1	33.3	22.9	$19,130	$1,767	$17,363
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
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Justus Gage Elementary School

Is Justus Gage Elementary School a good school?

Justus Gage Elementary School ranks 653^rd of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Justus Gage Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Justus Gage Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Dowagiac Middle School
High : Union High School

What district is Justus Gage Elementary School in?

Dowagiac Union School District

How many students attend Justus Gage Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 262 students attended Justus Gage Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Justus Gage Elementary School?

Students at Justus Gage Elementary School are 66% White, 16% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 6% African American, 3% American Indian.

Rate Justus Gage Elementary School!

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Schools in Dowagiac, MI

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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.