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Birchview School

Public Grades PK, KG-4

1263^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 Michigan Elementary Schools

Better than 15% of Michigan elementary schools

Summary

Birchview School is a small elementary school in Ishpeming, MI, serving 233 students in grades PK through 4 within the Ishpeming Public School District No. 1.

Birchview is currently facing significant academic challenges. In the most recent school year, the school ranked in the 15th percentile statewide, earning a 1-star rating. Test scores are dramatically lower than those of nearby schools. For example, 3rd-grade ELA proficiency is 24.3%, compared to 60% at Aspen Ridge Elementary School and 70.8% at Graveraet Elementary School. The gap is even starker in 4th-grade math, where only 8.33% of Birchview students are proficient, versus 44% at Aspen Ridge and 61.4% at Sandy Knoll School. This represents a performance gap of 30 to 50 percentage points compared to higher-performing neighbors. The decline has been rapid: 4th-grade ELA proficiency fell from 51.2% in 2023-2024 to just 13.2% in the latest school year.

Notably, the school’s struggles are not due to a lack of resources. Birchview spends $15,239 per student—higher than the state average—and maintains a favorable student-to-teacher ratio of 11.8:1. The school has also made impressive strides in reducing chronic absenteeism, dropping from 39.8% to 15.8%, which is better than the state average. What makes the situation particularly puzzling is the comparison with Aspen Ridge Elementary School, located just 3.79 miles away in the NICE Community School District. Aspen Ridge serves a similar demographic profile yet ranks in the 76th percentile statewide. This close proximity with such divergent results suggests that school-level factors—such as curriculum, instructional quality, or leadership—are playing a more significant role than the local community’s socio-economic context. For parents, the most pressing concern is the severe math decline between 3rd and 4th grade, which may indicate a curriculum transition issue that warrants immediate attention.

233

Students ?

11.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,239

Per pupil spending ?

49.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

663 Poplar St
Ishpeming, MI 49849-1052

(906) 485-6341

District: Ishpeming Public School District No. 1

Students who attend Birchview School usually attend:

Middle:	Ishpeming Middle School
High:	Ishpeming High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

86.7%

Two or more races:

10.3%

American Indian:

1.3%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Birchview School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 49th percentile in 2016 → 15th in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 12 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Michigan average (19% vs 40% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (15th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 34 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school19%

District avg19%

Michigan avg40%

1,263^rd of 1,492

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Bottom 15%▼ down 33 pts since 2016

From bottom 49% (2016) to bottom 15% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

446^th of 625Ishpeming Public School District No. 1 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	15.6	1263 of 1492	15.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	14.5	1267 of 1488	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	37.9	886 of 1486	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	19.9	1154 of 1470	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	33.3	869 of 1344	35.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	41.3	647 of 1153	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	53.8	609 of 1408	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	30.0	1078 of 1448	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	43.5	801 of 1466	45.4%	★★☆☆☆
2016	49.9	795 of 1548	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2015	62.4	572 of 1580	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2014	42.8	967 of 1533	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2013	35.8	1094 of 1563	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2012	55.5	722 of 1566	53.9%	★★★☆☆
2011	58.9	808 of 1552	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2010	72.9	416 of 1552	73.2%	★★★★☆
2009	71.1	470 of 1589	70.4%	★★★★☆
2008	72.8	400 of 1577	74.6%	★★★★☆
2007	72.8	365 of 1565	76.7%	★★★★☆
2006	81.9	136 of 1545	91.2%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	9.9	1268 of 1343	5.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	11.7	1233 of 1338	7.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	25.6	1019 of 1342	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	15.1	1148 of 1321	13.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	27.0	845 of 1106	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	44.3	656 of 1171	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	24.0	1129 of 1443	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	42.9	731 of 1352	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	47.5	674 of 1381	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	27.7	1001 of 1350	25.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	56.2	425 of 1099	61.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	71.6	141 of 749	81.2%	★★★★☆
2019	58.6	406 of 1134	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	39.8	895 of 1397	35.9%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2024	44.2	720 of 1347	46.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	24.7	988 of 1334	25.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	42.3	508 of 915	44.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	57.7	461 of 1196	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	37.6	941 of 1446	34.9%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	7.3	1166 of 1199	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	6.6	1179 of 1206	2.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	23.1	970 of 1204	19.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	9.2	1134 of 1198	5.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	27.2	830 of 1102	24.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	30.2	727 of 1005	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	45.0	624 of 1128	44.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	21.2	1062 of 1253	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Male (2024)47th percentile+6 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)46th percentile+31 vs school

Female (2026)6th percentile-10 vs school

White (2026)3rd percentile-13 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2025-2026) ?

Math19%-22 vs state

English Language Arts19%-21 vs state

★

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Schools Near Birchview 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/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	PSAT English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSAT Mathematics 8th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 3rd 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 3rd 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
Birchview School	Public	PK, KG-4	663 Poplar St	Ishpeming	49849	Marquette County	Ishpeming Public School District No. 1	No	No	No	Yes	(906) 485-6341	233	20	11.8	49.8%	202 (86.7%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	3 (1.3%)	1 (0.4%)	24 (10.3%)	15.6	1263^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	15.3%		14.5	1267^th of 1488 public elementary schools	14.9%	4			24.3	13.2				29.7	8.3								$15,239	$1,512	$13,727
Lakeview School	Public	PK, KG-4	200 Croix St	Negaunee	49866	Marquette County	Negaunee Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(906) 475-7803	584	40	14.6	33.0%	525 (89.9%)	1 (0.2%)	8 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.1%)	2 (0.3%)	36 (6.2%)	71.3	388^th of 1492 public elementary schools	74.0%		66.5	474^th of 1488 public elementary schools	68.1%	86			51.9	54.4				57.0	42.1								$14,032	$438	$13,594
Aspen Ridge Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	350 Aspen Ridge School Rd	Ishpeming	49849	Marquette County	NICE Community School District	No	No	No	Yes	(906) 485-3175	721	57	12.6	36.6%	690 (95.7%)	6 (0.8%)	5 (0.7%)	4 (0.6%)	4 (0.6%)	2 (0.3%)	10 (1.4%)	73.8	360^th of 1492 public elementary schools	75.9%		73.8	356^th of 1488 public elementary schools	76.1%	4	72.9	17.1	60.0	56.0	50.0	50.7	33.3	57.5	44.0	40.3	38.0	28.2	58.4	37.7	37.2	56.4	$16,398	$465	$15,933
North Star Montessori Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	3030 Wright St	Marquette	49855	Marquette County	North Star Montessori Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(906) 226-0156	145	15	9.6	49.0%	125 (86.2%)	3 (2.1%)	2 (1.4%)	2 (1.4%)	3 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (6.9%)	55	628^th of 1492 public elementary schools	57.9%		56	629^th of 1488 public elementary schools	57.7%	1	76.9	38.5	1279.3	35.3	41.2	54.6	38.5	1269.5	1383.2	31.3	45.5	1676.6	31.3	38.5	37.5	38.5	$16,714	$1,370	$15,343
Superior Hills Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1201 S McClellan Ave	Marquette	49855	Marquette County	Marquette Area Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(906) 225-4295	405	25	16.1	29.6%	351 (86.7%)	3 (0.7%)	10 (2.5%)	4 (1.0%)	8 (2.0%)	1 (0.2%)	28 (6.9%)	77	308^th of 1492 public elementary schools	79.4%		75.9	323^rd of 1488 public elementary schools	78.3%	15			55.1	55.9	49.1			58.8	57.4	37.7			54.7		45.3		$14,753	$510	$14,242
Sandy Knoll School	Public	PK, KG-5	401 N 6th St	Marquette	49855	Marquette County	Marquette Area Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(906) 225-4281	322	23	13.8	26.4%	272 (84.5%)	3 (0.9%)	7 (2.2%)	7 (2.2%)	8 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (7.8%)	89.3	146^th of 1492 public elementary schools	90.2%		86.7	181^st of 1488 public elementary schools	87.8%	35			55.1	72.7	64.2			63.3	61.4	67.9			69.8		45.3		$15,451	$555	$14,896
Graveraet Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	611 N Front St	Marquette	49855	Marquette County	Marquette Area Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(906) 225-4302	289	17	16.8	29.8%	243 (84.1%)	5 (1.7%)	16 (5.5%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.4%)	2 (0.7%)	18 (6.2%)	80.1	261^st of 1492 public elementary schools	82.5%		77.1	306^th of 1488 public elementary schools	79.4%	45			70.8	66.0	53.2			64.6	72.0	29.8			51.1		42.6		$19,492	$515	$18,977
Cherry Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1111 Ortman Rd	Marquette	49855	Marquette County	Marquette Area Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(906) 225-4399	430	25	17.5	21.2%	369 (85.8%)	2 (0.5%)	9 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (8.1%)	61.8	527^th of 1492 public elementary schools	64.7%		58.5	586^th of 1488 public elementary schools	60.6%	59			48.4	52.9	43.1			46.9	42.9	16.9			58.5		40.0		$13,868	$460	$13,409
KI Sawyer Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	411 Scorpion Rd	Gwinn	49841	Marquette County	Gwinn Area Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(906) 346-5567	207	18	11.8	72.0%	176 (85.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.3%)	1 (0.5%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (9.2%)								(n/a)																	$20,332	$2,558	$17,775
George D Gilbert Elementary School	Public, Magnet	3-5	250 W Iron St	Gwinn	49841	Marquette County	Gwinn Area Community Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(906) 346-2775	208	16	13.4	56.3%	173 (83.2%)	2 (1.0%)	7 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (11.1%)	29.2	1014^th of 1492 public elementary schools	32.0%		34.7	942^nd of 1488 public elementary schools	36.7%	72			21.3	32.2	25.8			32.8	39.0	27.4			27.4		14.5		$16,682	$2,223	$14,460

Frequently Asked Questions about Birchview School

What district is Birchview School in?

Ishpeming Public School District No. 1

Is Birchview School a good school?

Birchview School ranks in the bottom 15.3% of Michigan elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Birchview School attend?

Students who attend Birchview School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Ishpeming Middle School
High : Ishpeming High School

What is the racial makeup of Birchview School?

Students at Birchview School are 87% White, 10% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.

How many students attend Birchview School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 233 students attended Birchview School.

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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.