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Justus Gage Elementary School

Q: Is Justus Gage Elementary School a good school?

Justus Gage Elementary School ranks 734 th of 1488 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

734^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,488 Michigan Elementary Schools

Better than 51% of Michigan elementary schools

Summary

Justus Gage Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Dowagiac, Michigan, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 283 students. The school is part of the Dowagiac Union School District, which is ranked 373 out of 613 districts in Michigan and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Justus Gage Elementary School has consistently underperformed compared to the state and district averages in M-Step test scores, particularly in Math, where 3rd-grade proficiency rates range from 39.9% to 50%, compared to the state average of around 42-43%. However, the school's 5th-grade Science proficiency rates have been relatively stronger, reaching 50% in 2024-2025, compared to the district's 36.2% and the state's 40.3%. The school also faces challenges with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 24% to 32.2% in recent years, significantly higher than the state average.

Interestingly, the school's low-income students have performed relatively better than the overall student population, ranking 363 out of 1,346 Michigan elementary schools for this subgroup in 2024-2025. In contrast, the school's female and white student subgroups have performed worse than the overall student population. Nearby schools in the Berrien Springs Public Schools district have generally outperformed Justus Gage Elementary, while schools within the Dowagiac Union School District, such as Sister Lakes Elementary and Kincheloe Elementary, have also generally performed better on academic measures.

262

Students ?

15.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,441

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: Holding steady — 52nd percentile in 2015 → 51st in 2025

Strengths

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Dowagiac Union School District

✓Above the Michigan median (51st percentile)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school38%

District avg31%

Michigan avg39%

734^th of 1,488

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Top 49%▼ down 1 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 4Elementary Schools in the Dowagiac Union School District

373^rd of 613Dowagiac 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
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
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
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
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
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 (2025)73rd percentile+22 vs school

Male (2025)52nd percentile~ school

White (2025)42nd percentile-9 vs school

Female (2025)38th percentile-13 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2024-2025) ?

Science50%+10 vs state

Math39%~ state avg

English Language Arts37%-5 vs state

Social Studies28%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Justus Gage Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				M-Step English Language Arts (2025)			M-Step Math (2025)			M-Step Science (2025)	M-Step Social Studies (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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%)	49	734^th of 1488 public elementary schools	50.7%		42.4	810^th of 1486 public elementary schools	45.5%	76	21.2	40.4	52.2	50.0	36.5	28.3	50.0	28.3	$12,441	$1,779	$10,663
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%)	16.6	1231^st of 1488 public elementary schools	17.3%		14.8	1251^st of 1486 public elementary schools	15.8%	20	17.9	12.2	28.9	25.6	9.8	15.8	26.3	18.4	$13,868	$2,437	$11,431
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%)	40.9	850^th of 1488 public elementary schools	42.9%		34	954^th of 1486 public elementary schools	35.8%	104	51.3	55.3	31.9	43.6	34.2	17.0	31.9	14.9	$13,820	$2,483	$11,337
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%)	31.7	983^rd of 1488 public elementary schools	33.9%		17.4	1213^th of 1486 public elementary schools	18.4%	230	23.5	38.0	32.8	25.5	25.4	21.3	34.4	29.5	$15,255	$2,046	$13,209
Sister Lakes Elementary School	Public	K-5	68079 M 152	Benton Harbor	49022	Van Buren 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%)	38.1	891^st of 1488 public elementary schools	40.1%		39.2	863^rd of 1486 public elementary schools	41.9%	28	18.2	35.5	40.6	36.4	35.5	37.5	34.4	22.6	$15,606	$2,828	$12,778
HowardEllis Elementary School	Public	K-5	2788 Mannix St	Niles	49120	Cass 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%)	57.3	601^st of 1488 public elementary schools	59.6%		53.4	659^th of 1486 public elementary schools	55.7%	58	36.2	50.9	56.8	53.2	46.2	29.7	40.5	24.3	$12,780	$2,098	$10,682
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%)	19.9	1158^th of 1488 public elementary schools	22.2%		11.1	1324^th of 1486 public elementary schools	10.9%	166	28.6	30.3	20.6	20.6	22.9	14.7	23.5		$16,850	$2,877	$13,974
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%)	57.2	603^rd of 1488 public elementary schools	59.5%		49	714^th of 1486 public elementary schools	52.0%	111	26.6	51.0	50.7	32.8	38.8	40.0	61.3	34.7	$15,761	$2,418	$13,343
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)									$25,491	$12,528	$12,963
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)									$16,460	$1,529	$14,931

Frequently Asked Questions about 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.

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 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

Is Justus Gage Elementary School a good school?

Justus Gage Elementary School ranks 734^th of 1488 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate Justus Gage Elementary School!

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Schools in Dowagiac, MI

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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.