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Mancelona Elementary School

Q: Is Mancelona Elementary School a good school?

Mancelona Elementary School ranks 859 th of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-4

859^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 Michigan Elementary Schools

Better than 42% of Michigan elementary schools

Summary

Mancelona Elementary School in Mancelona, MI, serves 288 students from Pre-Kindergarten through 4th grade and is part of the Mancelona Public Schools district, which holds a 3-star rating.

This school stands out for its remarkable recent turnaround. After ranking in the 16th percentile statewide in 2022-2023, it has climbed to the 42nd percentile in the most recent data—a jump of 26 percentile points in just three years. What makes this even more impressive is that over 75% of students qualify for free and reduced lunch, yet the school's low-income students perform exceptionally well, ranking in the 59th percentile statewide. In fact, 4th-grade math proficiency reached 42.9%, which is actually above the state average of 39.4%. This suggests the school has found effective strategies for supporting students facing economic challenges, and its math program appears to strengthen as students progress through the grades. When compared to nearby schools with similar demographics, Mancelona performs competitively—it's on par with Rapid City Elementary School (45th percentile) and outpaces Kalkaska Elementary School in recent trajectory, though it trails more affluent neighbors like Lakeland Elementary School (73rd percentile) and Mill Creek Academy (69th percentile).

However, two significant challenges remain. Chronic absenteeism is a serious concern, hovering around 31-34% in recent years and peaking at 55.4% in 2021-2022—far higher than nearby East Jordan Elementary School (6.4%) and Mill Creek Academy (9.3%). Additionally, while the school excels with low-income students, its overall performance with other student groups lags behind, ranking in the bottom 20th percentile in the most recent year. The school spends a substantial $14,993 per student—above the state average—but maintains a higher student-teacher ratio (16.1) than several peers like John R Rodger Elementary School (12.2), suggesting that additional funding could potentially be directed toward reducing class sizes to further support achievement and attendance.

288

Students ?

16.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,993

Per pupil spending ?

75.7%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in Michigan receive free school meals.

231 W Limits St
Mancelona, MI 49659-9703

(231) 587-8661

District: Mancelona Public Schools

Students who attend Mancelona Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Mancelona Middle School
High:	Mancelona High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

94.4%

Two or more races:

2.8%

Hispanic:

2.4%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Mancelona Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 37th percentile in 2016 → 42nd in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 5 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Michigan average (35% vs 40% meeting standards)

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school35%

District avg35%

Michigan avg40%

859^th of 1,492

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Bottom 42%▲ up 5 pts since 2016

From bottom 37% (2016) to bottom 42% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

262^nd of 625Mancelona Public 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	40.1	859 of 1492	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	42.4	830 of 1488	44.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	23.6	1107 of 1486	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	15.0	1237 of 1470	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	11.4	1195 of 1344	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	19.5	968 of 1153	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	58.0	548 of 1408	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	39.3	949 of 1448	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2017	22.7	1119 of 1466	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	38.5	975 of 1548	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2015	52.6	771 of 1580	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2014	36.5	1076 of 1533	29.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	33.0	1147 of 1563	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	48.2	879 of 1566	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2011	50.0	993 of 1552	36.0%	★★☆☆☆
2010	57.0	920 of 1552	40.7%	★★☆☆☆
2009	49.3	1070 of 1589	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2008	42.3	1171 of 1577	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	61.4	706 of 1565	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2006	51.3	945 of 1545	38.8%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	38.5	780 of 1343	41.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	40.2	765 of 1338	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	25.4	1022 of 1342	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	14.4	1163 of 1321	12.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	9.9	1039 of 1106	6.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	66.4	339 of 1171	71.1%	★★★★☆
2018	41.1	892 of 1443	38.2%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	53.2	557 of 1352	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	63.6	402 of 1346	70.1%	★★★★☆
2024	33.6	937 of 1381	32.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	20.2	1111 of 1350	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	17.1	955 of 1099	13.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	26.6	603 of 749	19.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	76.4	158 of 1134	86.1%	★★★★☆
2018	46.9	782 of 1397	44.0%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	42.9	753 of 1372	45.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	35.8	853 of 1366	37.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	17.0	1134 of 1347	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	10.1	1223 of 1334	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	15.5	818 of 915	10.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	41.9	696 of 1196	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	36.5	963 of 1446	33.4%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2018	21.9	366 of 403	9.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	23.2	955 of 1199	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	26.6	913 of 1206	24.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	12.0	1107 of 1204	8.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	5.8	1170 of 1198	2.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	4.2	1093 of 1102	0.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	13.5	936 of 1005	6.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	46.1	606 of 1128	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	24.3	1016 of 1253	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆

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)59th percentile+16 vs school

Male (2026)45th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2026)42nd percentile~ school

White (2026)20th percentile-22 vs school

Special Education (2018)9th percentile-25 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2025-2026) ?

Math36%-5 vs state

English Language Arts34%-6 vs state

★

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Schools Near Mancelona 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/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	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
Mancelona Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	231 W Limits St	Mancelona	49659	Antrim County	Mancelona Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 587-8661	288	18	16.1	75.7%	272 (94.4%)	1 (0.3%)	7 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.8%)	40.1	859^th of 1492 public elementary schools	42.4%		42.4	830^th of 1488 public elementary schools	44.2%	29	27.5	39.3				29.4	42.9								$14,993	$1,567	$13,426
John R Rodger Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6535 John R Rodgers Rd	Bellaire	49615	Antrim County	Bellaire Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(231) 533-8916	119	10	12.2	52.1%	110 (92.4%)	2 (1.7%)	2 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.5%)	49.1	712^th of 1492 public elementary schools	52.3%		53.7	664^th of 1488 public elementary schools	55.4%	48	36.8	42.9	38.9			36.8	38.1	27.8			50.0		1480.1		$22,336	$1,851	$20,485
Rapid City Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5258 River Rd	Rapid City	49676	Kalkaska County	Kalkaska Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 331-6121	70	6	11.6	77.1%	64 (91.4%)	1 (1.4%)	1 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (4.3%)	41.8	828^th of 1492 public elementary schools	44.5%					(n/a)			36.4					27.3			36.4		27.3		$00	$00	$00
Kalkaska Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	309 N Birch St	Kalkaska	49646	Kalkaska County	Kalkaska Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 258-8629	517	34	15.2	62.3%	493 (95.4%)	3 (0.6%)	11 (2.1%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.5%)	49.2	709^th of 1492 public elementary schools	52.5%		33.9	954^th of 1488 public elementary schools	35.9%	245	50.0	39.3	36.4			55.3	36.0	27.3			36.4		22.7		$00	$00	$00
Crawford School	Public	K-8	5521 M 72 E	Kalkaska	49646	Kalkaska County	Excelsior Township S/D #1	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 258-2934	46	3	15.3	54.3%	46 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)					30.0					40.0					$14,127	$416	$13,712
Lakeland Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	616 Buckley St	Elk Rapids	49629	Antrim County	Elk Rapids Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 264-8289	289	18	16.2	29.8%	262 (90.7%)	2 (0.7%)	9 (3.1%)	1 (0.3%)	10 (3.5%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.4%)	70	409^th of 1492 public elementary schools	72.6%		78.4	289^th of 1488 public elementary schools	80.6%	120	39.5	52.5	62.0			53.5	32.5	34.0			64.0		48.0		$15,311	$1,255	$14,056
East Jordan Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-6	304 4th St	East Jordan	49727	Charlevoix County	East Jordan Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(231) 536-7564	393	33	11.7	57.8%	341 (86.8%)	2 (0.5%)	17 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (7.6%)	49	714^th of 1492 public elementary schools	52.1%		50.7	707^th of 1488 public elementary schools	52.5%	7	43.1	41.5	33.3	38.9		49.0	39.6	37.0	22.2		38.9		22.2		$16,460	$1,257	$15,203
Mill Creek Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	9039 Old M 72	Williamsburg	49690	Grand Traverse County	Mill Creek Academy	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(231) 264-8692	233	14	17.0	24.5%	213 (91.4%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.2%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.0%)	66.8	459^th of 1492 public elementary schools	69.2%					(n/a)	63.8	34.9	50.0			74.5	34.9	46.7			50.0		26.7		$10,270	$193	$10,076

Frequently Asked Questions about Mancelona Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Mancelona Elementary School?

Students at Mancelona Elementary School are 94% White, 3% Two or more races, 2% Hispanic.

What district is Mancelona Elementary School in?

Mancelona Public Schools

Is Mancelona Elementary School a good school?

Mancelona Elementary School ranks 859^th of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Mancelona Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Mancelona Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Mancelona Middle School
High : Mancelona High School

How many students attend Mancelona Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 288 students attended Mancelona Elementary 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.