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Montabella Elementary

Q: Is Montabella Elementary a good school?

Montabella Elementary ranks 995 th of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

995^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 Michigan Elementary Schools

Better than 33% of Michigan elementary schools

Summary

Montabella Elementary in Blanchard, MI, serves 389 students from Pre-K through 5th grade as part of the Montabella Community Schools district, a rural district where a substantial majority of families (68%) qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

Academically, Montabella currently holds a 2-star rating and ranks in the 33rd percentile statewide, which places it below several nearby schools like Weidman Elementary School (93rd percentile) and Winn Elementary School (64th percentile). The most notable concern is a sharp drop in 4th-grade performance—only 19.7% of 4th graders are proficient in ELA and 16.9% in math, compared to state averages of 41.3% and 39.4%. This dip has persisted for two years and stands out against stronger 3rd-grade results, where math proficiency (45.5%) actually exceeds the state average. The school also spends less per student ($15,764) than several peers, including Vestaburg Community Elementary School ($17,109) and Weidman ($16,706), despite serving a population with significant economic need.

There are encouraging signs, however. Chronic absenteeism is a clear strength at just 20.1%—well below the state average of 27.9% and lower than many nearby schools, including Mecosta Elementary School (32.1%) and Lakeview Elementary School (33.6%). The school's state percentile ranking has also climbed from 18th in 2020-2021 to 33rd today, suggesting recent efforts are gaining traction. Perhaps the most compelling comparison is with Weidman Elementary, located just 16 miles away, which serves an even higher percentage of low-income students (73%) yet achieves dramatically better results. This gap suggests Montabella has room to grow by studying what high-performing peers with similar demographics are doing differently, while building on its own strengths in attendance and early-grade math.

389

Students ?

14.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,764

Per pupil spending ?

68.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1456 E North County Line Rd
Blanchard, MI 49310

(989) 427-5414

District: Montabella Community Schools

Students who attend Montabella Elementary usually attend:

High:

Montabella JuniorSenior High

Racial breakdown:

White:

86.1%

Hispanic:

8.5%

Two or more races:

4.4%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Montabella Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 44th percentile in 2024 → 33rd in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Michigan average (28% vs 38% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped from its 44th-percentile peak (2024) to 33rd (2026)

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school28%

District avg28%

Michigan avg38%

995^th of 1,492

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Bottom 33%▲ up 7 pts since 2016

From bottom 26% (2016) to bottom 33% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

347^th of 625Montabella 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	30.6	995 of 1492	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	28.9	1028 of 1488	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	40.9	835 of 1486	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	37.0	894 of 1470	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	28.6	950 of 1344	29.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	20.3	949 of 1153	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	26.2	1034 of 1408	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	36.9	980 of 1448	32.3%	★★☆☆☆
2017	29.2	1032 of 1466	29.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	27.2	1147 of 1548	25.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	28.3	1188 of 1580	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	24.0	1240 of 1533	19.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	28.7	1206 of 1563	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	27.5	1247 of 1566	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	39.7	1178 of 1552	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	47.8	1107 of 1552	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	48.7	1079 of 1589	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2008	34.4	1275 of 1577	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	28.5	1334 of 1565	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	37.0	1219 of 1545	21.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	25.4	991 of 1343	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	30.2	929 of 1338	30.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	31.6	913 of 1342	32.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	34.1	856 of 1321	35.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	20.8	917 of 1106	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	25.9	707 of 902	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	24.3	923 of 1171	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	38.2	930 of 1443	35.6%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	34.0	877 of 1352	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	31.9	933 of 1346	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	30.1	999 of 1381	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	44.2	731 of 1350	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	28.5	821 of 1099	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	23.9	636 of 749	15.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	39.9	892 of 1397	36.1%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	33.3	891 of 1372	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	23.7	1022 of 1366	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	40.7	775 of 1347	42.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	34.6	852 of 1334	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	34.7	743 of 1139	34.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	23.6	739 of 915	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	23.9	948 of 1196	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	34.1	1001 of 1446	30.8%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2023	28.3	157 of 195	19.5%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	17.9	1029 of 1199	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	18.7	1035 of 1206	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	25.8	922 of 1204	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	22.8	968 of 1198	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	15.6	981 of 1102	11.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	14.3	923 of 1005	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	17.3	1000 of 1128	11.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	26.9	983 of 1253	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆

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)35th percentile~ school

Male (2026)35th percentile~ school

Female (2026)26th percentile-7 vs school

Special Education (2023)19th percentile-20 vs school

White (2026)14th percentile-19 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2025-2026) ?

Science36%-4 vs state

English Language Arts29%-12 vs state

Math28%-10 vs state

Social Studies14%-14 vs state

★

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Schools Near Montabella Elementary

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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
Montabella Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1456 E North County Line Rd	Blanchard	49310	Isabella County	Montabella Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(989) 427-5414	389	27	14.4	68.1%	335 (86.1%)	4 (1.0%)	33 (8.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.4%)	30.6	995^th of 1492 public elementary schools	33.3%		28.9	1028^th of 1488 public elementary schools	30.9%	33	32.7	19.7	37.7	45.5	16.9	24.5	35.8	13.5	$15,764	$1,325	$14,439
Vestaburg Community Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	7100 Avenue B	Vestaburg	48891	Montcalm County	Vestaburg Community Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(989) 268-5284	247	22	11.4	47.8%	228 (92.3%)	1 (0.4%)	13 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.6%)	40.7	850^th of 1492 public elementary schools	43.0%		46	775^th of 1488 public elementary schools	47.9%	75	27.3	38.9	24.2	47.7	33.3	18.2	45.5	27.3	$17,109	$1,530	$15,579
Winn Elementary School	Public	K-5	380 E Blanchard Rd	Shepherd	48896	Isabella County	Shepherd Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(989) 866-2250	224	15	14.7	38.8%	207 (92.4%)	5 (2.2%)	7 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.8%)	61.5	531^st of 1492 public elementary schools	64.4%		73.2	365^th of 1488 public elementary schools	75.5%	166	48.6	65.8	44.7	48.6	60.5	46.8	38.3	10.6	$15,209	$1,155	$14,054
Lakeview Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	9497 Paden Rd	Lakeview	48850	Montcalm County	Lakeview Community Schools (Montcalm)	No	No	No	Yes	(989) 352-8021	306	22	13.9	66.0%	281 (91.8%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.9%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.6%)								(n/a)	68.0			62.7					$16,029	$1,930	$14,098
Central Montcalm Upper Elementary School	Public	3-5	1488 S Sheridan Rd	Stanton	48888	Montcalm County	Central Montcalm Public School	No	No	No	Yes	(989) 831-2300	284	15	18.5	70.4%	261 (91.9%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.9%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.2%)	24	1097^th of 1492 public elementary schools	26.5%		28	1038^th of 1488 public elementary schools	30.2%	59	17.3	34.6	25.3	29.6	30.8	16.5	27.8	7.6	$14,421	$2,005	$12,416
Mecosta Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	555 W Main St	Mecosta	49332	Mecosta County	Chippewa Hills School District	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 972-7477	256	14	18.7	59.8%	231 (90.2%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.7%)	60.8	545^th of 1492 public elementary schools	63.5%		58.4	589^th of 1488 public elementary schools	60.4%	44	54.2	46.2		41.7	41.5				$13,566	$1,790	$11,775
Weidman Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-4	3311 N School Rd	Weidman	48893	Isabella County	Chippewa Hills School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(989) 644-3430	258	16	16.4	73.3%	228 (88.4%)	1 (0.4%)	14 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (5.0%)	91.5	110^th of 1492 public elementary schools	92.6%		90.5	115^th of 1488 public elementary schools	92.3%	5	67.5	61.9		85.0	65.1				$16,706	$1,989	$14,717
Vowles School	Public	PK, KG-2	1560 Watson Rd	Mount Pleasant	48858	Isabella County	Mt. Pleasant City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(989) 775-2280	235	17	14.0	50.2%	166 (70.6%)	19 (8.1%)	27 (11.5%)	7 (3.0%)	6 (2.6%)	1 (0.4%)	9 (3.8%)								(n/a)									$16,931	$1,744	$15,188
Beal City Elementary School	Public	K-5	3117 Elias Rd	Mount Pleasant	48858	Isabella County	Beal City Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(989) 644-2740	265	17	15.2	39.6%	244 (92.1%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.6%)	49.9	696^th of 1492 public elementary schools	53.4%		48.4	747^th of 1488 public elementary schools	49.8%	51	38.0	26.1	45.7	44.0	28.3	30.4	56.5	32.6	$15,942	$1,173	$14,769
Ganiard School	Public	PK, KG-2	101 S Adams St	Mount Pleasant	48858	Isabella County	Mt. Pleasant City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(989) 775-2240	220	17	12.6	46.4%	176 (80.0%)	11 (5.0%)	8 (3.6%)	6 (2.7%)	14 (6.4%)	1 (0.5%)	4 (1.8%)								(n/a)									$20,023	$1,825	$18,198

Frequently Asked Questions about Montabella Elementary

How many students attend Montabella Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 389 students attended Montabella Elementary.

What district is Montabella Elementary in?

Montabella Community Schools

What is the racial makeup of Montabella Elementary?

Students at Montabella Elementary are 86% White, 8% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 1% African American.

Is Montabella Elementary a good school?

Montabella Elementary ranks 995^th of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Montabella Elementary attend?

Students who attend Montabella Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Montabella JuniorSenior High

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Schools in Blanchard, 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.