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Forest Area Middle School

Public Grades 4-8

779^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 896 Michigan Middle Schools

Better than 13% of Michigan middle schools

Summary

Forest Area Middle School in Fife Lake, MI, is a small, rural public school serving 193 students in grades 4 through 8 as part of the Forest Area Community Schools district.

Recent test scores show that students at Forest Area are struggling significantly compared to state averages and nearby schools. For example, only 15.8% of 7th graders are proficient in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 38.4% and 44.2% at Kingsley Area Middle School. Math proficiency is also a major concern, with just 12.8% of 6th graders meeting state standards versus 31.9% statewide. The gap widens by 8th grade, where only 15.4% of students are proficient in math on the PSAT, compared to 33.2% statewide. Even Kalkaska Middle School, which serves a similar rural population with comparable economic challenges, outperforms Forest Area in most subjects. The school's overall ranking has dropped dramatically over the past eight years, from the 48th percentile in 2017-2018 to the 13th percentile today.

One of the most significant issues facing the school is chronic absenteeism. A striking 42.5% of students are chronically absent—meaning they miss 10% or more of the school year—compared to the state average of 27.9%. This rate is nearly six times higher than West Middle School in Traverse City (7.3%) and more than double that of Lake City Middle School (18.8%). Notably, Forest Area spends more per student ($14,364) than several better-performing nearby schools and maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 14.3:1, yet these resources have not translated into improved outcomes. While the school faces real challenges, it has shown it can achieve competitive results in specific areas, such as 8th grade science in 2022-2023, suggesting that with a strong focus on attendance and instructional support, improvement is possible.

193

Students ?

14.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,364

Per pupil spending ?

56.5%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in Michigan receive free school meals.

7661 Shippy Rd SW
Fife Lake, MI 49633-8243

(231) 369-2884

District: Forest Area Community Schools

Students who attend Forest Area Middle School usually attend:

High:

Forest Area High School

Feeder schools for Forest Area Middle School:

Elementary:

Fife Lake Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

89.1%

Two or more races:

5.2%

American Indian:

2.6%

See top rated Michigan middle schools

Compare Forest Area Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 29th percentile in 2016 → 13th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Michigan average (22% vs 39% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (13th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (42% vs 28% Michigan)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school22%

District avg22%

Michigan avg39%

Elementary school

1,051^st of 1,492

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Bottom 30%▲ up 3 pts since 2019

From bottom 26% (2019) to bottom 30% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

779^th of 896

Michigan public middle schools ?

Bottom 13%▼ down 16 pts since 2016

From bottom 29% (2016) to bottom 13% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

482^nd of 625Forest Area 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)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	27.2	1051 of 1492	29.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	19.4	1175 of 1488	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	22.1	1140 of 1486	23.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	9.3	1337 of 1470	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	6.4	1284 of 1344	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	12.5	1053 of 1153	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	25.9	1040 of 1408	26.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	29.4	912 of 1343	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	17.9	1113 of 1338	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	17.5	1130 of 1342	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	5.0	1298 of 1321	1.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	27.0	1082 of 1443	25.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	48.0	635 of 1352	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	36.1	855 of 1346	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	31.2	986 of 1381	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	13.4	1210 of 1350	10.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	33.0	803 of 1134	29.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	37.4	935 of 1397	33.1%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	21.9	1065 of 1372	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	19.3	1089 of 1366	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	27.0	972 of 1347	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	12.8	1184 of 1334	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	30.0	855 of 1196	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	32.5	1020 of 1446	29.5%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	16.7	1045 of 1199	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	9.4	1152 of 1206	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	9.4	1139 of 1204	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	3.4	1191 of 1198	0.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	2.0	1101 of 1102	0.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	9.7	965 of 1005	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	14.8	1030 of 1128	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	16.3	1118 of 1253	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	13.5	779 of 896	13.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	14.3	762 of 890	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	13.8	779 of 897	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	36.8	545 of 883	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	38.5	466 of 776	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	29.7	481 of 675	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	37.5	495 of 792	37.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	49.6	438 of 838	47.7%	★★☆☆☆
2017	27.8	588 of 821	28.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	29.1	638 of 894	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	40.3	570 of 919	38.0%	★★☆☆☆
2014	37.7	620 of 921	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2013	37.9	612 of 919	33.4%	★★☆☆☆
2012	31.2	683 of 900	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	49.7	560 of 858	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2010	55.4	512 of 851	39.8%	★★☆☆☆
2009	47.8	584 of 847	31.1%	★★☆☆☆
2008	33.4	670 of 839	20.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	36.4	650 of 823	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	52.1	495 of 806	38.6%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	12.5	715 of 789	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	7.6	756 of 789	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	36.4	490 of 770	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	38.4	396 of 658	39.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	56.2	337 of 794	57.6%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	23.3	648 of 834	22.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	21.4	676 of 832	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	25.6	634 of 836	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	30.5	587 of 825	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	60.0	217 of 691	68.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	41.1	304 of 523	41.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	46.4	353 of 672	47.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	61.8	260 of 815	68.1%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	12.8	728 of 813	10.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	25.1	592 of 798	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	17.5	660 of 786	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	40.3	450 of 776	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	46.7	315 of 658	52.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	34.8	340 of 540	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	43.8	334 of 639	47.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	38.2	495 of 797	37.9%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	5.4	676 of 687	1.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	7.1	678 of 696	2.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	5.6	695 of 701	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	22.0	569 of 688	17.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	23.7	506 of 638	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	21.6	469 of 577	18.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	24.5	490 of 624	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	32.2	472 of 678	30.4%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Elementary school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)53rd percentile+23 vs school

Female (2026)32nd percentile+3 vs school

Male (2026)22nd percentile-7 vs school

White (2026)13th percentile-17 vs school

Middle school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)22nd percentile+9 vs school

Male (2026)10th percentile-3 vs school

Female (2026)9th percentile-4 vs school

White (2026)2nd percentile-11 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2025-2026) ?

Science24%-15 vs state

English Language Arts23%-17 vs state

Math20%-14 vs state

Social Studies18%-21 vs state

Mathematics15%-18 vs state

★

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Schools Near Forest Area Middle 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)				PSAT English Language Arts (2026)	PSAT Mathematics (2026)	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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	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	PSAT English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSAT Mathematics 8th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 4th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 5th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 6th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 7th Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th Grade	M-Step Math 6th Grade	M-Step Math 7th Grade	M-Step Science 5th Grade	M-Step Science 8th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Forest Area Middle School	Public	4-8	7661 Shippy Rd SW	Fife Lake	49633	Kalkaska County	Forest Area Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 369-2884	193	13	14.3	56.5%	172 (89.1%)	3 (1.6%)	3 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (5.2%)	13.5	779^th of 896 public middle schools	13.1%		14.3	762^nd of 890 public middle schools	14.4%	17	30.8	15.4	29.0	33.3	15.8	15.8	32.3	23.1	12.8	15.8	33.3	15.4	17.9	17.9	$14,364	$1,458	$12,906
Kalkaska Middle School	Public	6-8	1700 W Kalkaska Rd	Kalkaska	49646	Kalkaska County	Kalkaska Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(231) 258-4040	307	19	16.5	55.4%	294 (95.8%)	1 (0.3%)	9 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	30.5	603^rd of 896 public middle schools	32.7%		38.5	533^rd of 890 public middle schools	40.1%	70	60.4	21.7			17.6	27.6			8.1	23.0		28.8		32.7	$00	$00	$00
Kingsley Area Middle School	Public	6-8	403 Blair St	Kingsley	49649	Grand Traverse County	Kingsley Area Schools	No	No	No	No	(231) 263-5261	366	23	16.0	45.1%	345 (94.3%)	4 (1.1%)	9 (2.5%)	2 (0.5%)	3 (0.8%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	72.3	202^nd of 896 public middle schools	77.5%		79.6	140^th of 890 public middle schools	84.3%	62	68.8	39.1			47.8	44.2			27.2	60.5		53.8		57.7	$12,688	$832	$11,856
Manton Consolidated Middle School	Public	5-8	105 5th St	Manton	49663	Wexford County	Manton Consolidated Schools	No	No	No	No	(231) 824-6401	305	17	17.8	49.5%	272 (89.2%)	1 (0.3%)	13 (4.3%)	1 (0.3%)	6 (2.0%)	1 (0.3%)	11 (3.6%)	66	244^th of 896 public middle schools	72.8%		63.4	270^th of 890 public middle schools	69.7%	26	77.4	37.1		46.9	48.6	32.4		43.8	32.4	28.4	48.4	59.7	31.3	61.3	$13,630	$1,083	$12,547
East Middle School	Public	6-8	1776 3 Mile Rd N	Traverse City	49686	Grand Traverse County	Traverse City Area Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(231) 933-7300	829	42	19.8	30.4%	723 (87.2%)	25 (3.0%)	33 (4.0%)	16 (1.9%)	29 (3.5%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	82.7	123^rd of 896 public middle schools	86.3%		76.5	161^st of 890 public middle schools	81.9%	38	76.8	48.7			54.4	52.5			43.4	43.4		55.1		67.7	$14,803	$699	$14,104
Lake City Middle School	Public	6-8	251 Russell St	Lake City	49651	Missaukee County	Lake City Area School District	No	No	No	No	(231) 839-6600	265	16	16.9	66.8%	241 (90.9%)	2 (0.8%)	11 (4.2%)	2 (0.8%)	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.4%)	6 (2.3%)	70.8	211^th of 896 public middle schools	76.5%		72.7	191^st of 890 public middle schools	78.5%	20	64.7	43.5			28.3	50.0			43.5	48.6		65.5		52.4	$13,403	$900	$12,503
West Middle School	Public	6-8	3950 Silver Lake Rd	Traverse City	49684	Grand Traverse County	Traverse City Area Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(231) 933-8200	1,081	52	20.7	27.6%	985 (91.1%)	20 (1.9%)	29 (2.7%)	24 (2.2%)	22 (2.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	78.5	150^th of 896 public middle schools	83.3%		76.6	158^th of 890 public middle schools	82.2%	8	77.5	47.0			50.5	50.8			37.3	47.5		49.7		59.9	$14,178	$699	$13,479

Frequently Asked Questions about Forest Area Middle School

Is Forest Area Middle School a good school?

Forest Area Middle School ranks in the bottom 13.1% of Michigan middle schools.

What high school do graduates of Forest Area Middle School attend?

Students who attend Forest Area Middle School usually go on to attend Forest Area High School

What is the racial makeup of Forest Area Middle School?

Students at Forest Area Middle School are 89% White, 5% Two or more races, 3% American Indian, 2% African American, 2% Hispanic.

What district is Forest Area Middle School in?

Forest Area Community Schools

How many students attend Forest Area Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 193 students attended Forest Area Middle School.

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Latest Michigan data All new data »

2021–22 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)NewOct 19, 2026

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

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.