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Saranac Elementary School

Q: Is Saranac Elementary School a good school?

Saranac Elementary School ranks 605 th of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public, Magnet Grades PK, KG-6

605^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 Michigan Elementary Schools

Better than 59% of Michigan elementary schools

Summary

Saranac Elementary School in Saranac, MI, serves 433 students from Pre-Kindergarten through 6th grade within the Saranac Community Schools district, a rural district that has earned a 4-star rating from the state.

Saranac Elementary has maintained a steady 3-star rating for the past decade, currently ranking in the 59th percentile statewide. What truly sets this school apart is its remarkable success with students from low socio-economic backgrounds—a subgroup that ranks in the 77th percentile statewide, earning 4 stars. This is especially impressive given that 44% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. When compared to nearby Ionia Public Schools—which serve higher poverty populations (50-78%) yet rank lower statewide—Saranac is a clear outperformer. For example, in 5th-grade science, Saranac's proficiency rate of 44.6% far exceeds the 24.5-48% range seen at Ionia's RB Boyce Elementary School, Jefferson School, and Emerson School. The school also demonstrates strong financial efficiency, achieving above-average results with per-student spending ($15,451) that is comparable to lower-performing peers.

One notable pattern is that student performance strengthens in the upper grades. By 6th grade, proficiency rates in both English Language Arts (44.1%) and Math (30.5%) exceed state averages, suggesting the school effectively builds foundational skills over time. Chronic absenteeism has improved dramatically, dropping from 35.1% in 2020-2021 to 14.3% currently—about half the state average—though still higher than the high-performing Lowell Area Schools like Alto Elementary School (5.4%). While the school excels with economically disadvantaged students, there is room for growth in serving all learners, as its overall ranking (59th percentile) trails the top-tier Lowell schools (93rd percentile) that serve lower poverty populations. For families seeking a school that delivers strong results for students facing economic challenges, Saranac Elementary stands out as a particularly effective option in the region.

433

Students ?

15.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,451

Per pupil spending ?

44.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

250 Pleasant St
Saranac, MI 48881-8716

(616) 642-1200

District: Saranac Community Schools

Students who attend Saranac Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Saranac JrSr High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.0%

Hispanic:

5.5%

African American:

1.2%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Saranac Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 65th percentile in 2016 → 59th in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the Michigan median (59th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 6 percentile points since 2016

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school40%

District avg40%

Michigan avg37%

605^th of 1,492

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Top 41%▼ down 6 pts since 2016

From top 35% (2016) to top 41% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

178^th of 625Saranac 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	56.4	605 of 1492	59.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	58.6	582 of 1488	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.8	516 of 1486	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	60.8	539 of 1470	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	61.3	463 of 1344	65.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	45.1	588 of 1153	49.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	53.7	611 of 1408	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	63.4	552 of 1448	61.9%	★★★☆☆
2017	59.1	519 of 1466	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2016	63.2	541 of 1548	65.1%	★★★☆☆
2015	57.1	677 of 1580	57.2%	★★★☆☆
2014	50.7	826 of 1533	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2013	57.2	701 of 1563	55.2%	★★★☆☆
2012	53.7	765 of 1566	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2011	57.9	836 of 1552	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2010	48.9	1085 of 1552	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2009	53.2	967 of 1589	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2008	52.8	977 of 1577	38.0%	★★☆☆☆
2007	47.2	1056 of 1565	32.5%	★★☆☆☆
2006	51.0	954 of 1545	38.3%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	51.7	580 of 1343	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	58.7	495 of 1338	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	59.9	468 of 1342	65.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	53.2	558 of 1321	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	54.3	459 of 1106	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2021	37.0	578 of 902	35.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	48.4	595 of 1171	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	58.7	607 of 1443	57.9%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	68.7	316 of 1352	76.6%	★★★★☆
2025	71.5	276 of 1346	79.5%	★★★★☆
2024	66.4	341 of 1381	75.3%	★★★★☆
2023	57.7	483 of 1350	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	60.6	361 of 1099	67.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	37.7	491 of 749	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	44.8	628 of 1134	44.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	60.1	520 of 1397	62.8%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	50.6	638 of 1372	53.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	47.5	692 of 1366	49.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	55.0	565 of 1347	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	57.8	527 of 1334	60.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	62.9	374 of 1139	67.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	41.8	512 of 915	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	56.3	487 of 1196	59.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	64.1	497 of 1446	65.6%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2018	61.4	116 of 403	71.2%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	39.7	725 of 1199	39.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	44.8	671 of 1206	44.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	50.1	577 of 1204	52.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.6	587 of 1198	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	53.5	504 of 1102	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	40.6	591 of 1005	41.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	45.5	618 of 1128	45.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	53.5	581 of 1253	53.6%	★★★☆☆

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)77th percentile+17 vs school

Special Education (2018)71st percentile+9 vs school

Female (2026)57th percentile-3 vs school

Male (2026)53rd percentile-6 vs school

White (2026)40th percentile-20 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2025-2026) ?

Science45%+5 vs state

English Language Arts41%~ state avg

Math38%~ state avg

Social Studies38%+10 vs state

★

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Schools Near Saranac 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/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 English Language Arts 6th Grade	M-Step Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th Grade	M-Step Math 6th 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
Saranac Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-6	250 Pleasant St	Saranac	48881	Ionia County	Saranac Community Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(616) 642-1200	433	28	15.4	44.1%	394 (91.0%)	5 (1.2%)	24 (5.5%)	2 (0.5%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.9%)	56.4	605^th of 1492 public elementary schools	59.5%		58.6	582^nd of 1488 public elementary schools	60.9%	23	35.6	42.6	41.5	44.1	39.7	42.6	38.5	30.5	44.6	37.5	$15,451	$814	$14,637
Coon School	Public	K-6	6679 S State Rd	Ionia	48846	Ionia County	Berlin Township S/D #3	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 527-4900	15	1	13.0	66.7%	15 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)											$11,487	$2,640	$8,847
AA Rather School	Public	PK, KG-5	380 E Tuttle Rd	Ionia	48846	Ionia County	Ionia Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 527-1720	308	15	20.1	51.0%	261 (84.7%)	2 (0.6%)	32 (10.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.2%)	51.7	672^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	55.0%		57.1	607^th of 1488 public elementary schools	59.2%	65	37.8	42.9	47.3		31.1	51.8	23.6		43.6	29.1	$12,569	$1,632	$10,937
Bushnell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-1	700 Elizabeth St	Lowell	49331	Kent County	Lowell Area Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 987-2650	253	19	13.4	28.1%	218 (86.2%)	2 (0.8%)	12 (4.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (7.9%)								(n/a)											$16,177	$1,709	$14,469
Emerson School	Public	PK, KG-5	645 Hackett St	Ionia	48846	Ionia County	Ionia Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 527-8018	166	12	14.0	78.3%	119 (71.7%)	1 (0.6%)	35 (21.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (6.0%)	31.5	979^th of 1492 public elementary schools	34.4%		41.1	846^th of 1488 public elementary schools	43.1%	133	25.0	36.0	36.0		16.7	12.0	24.0		48.0	20.0	$17,009	$1,557	$15,452
Cherry Creek Elementary School	Public	2-5	12675 Foreman St	Lowell	49331	Kent County	Lowell Area Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 987-2700	485	27	18.2	29.3%	416 (85.8%)	11 (2.3%)	26 (5.4%)	7 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	24 (4.9%)	74.4	345^th of 1492 public elementary schools	76.9%		73.9	352^nd of 1488 public elementary schools	76.3%	7	58.1	47.7	51.7		53.2	50.8	40.8		60.8	41.7	$18,011	$1,187	$16,823
Haynor School	Public	K-6	1779 Haynor Rd	Ionia	48846	Ionia County	Easton Township S/D #6	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 527-4900	10	2	6.4	30.0%	10 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)											$21,492	$3,930	$17,561
Jefferson School	Public	PK, KG-5	420 N Jefferson St	Ionia	48846	Ionia County	Ionia Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 527-2740	272	15	18.1	68.4%	206 (75.7%)	1 (0.4%)	51 (18.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.8%)	28	1038^th of 1492 public elementary schools	30.4%		32	980^th of 1488 public elementary schools	34.1%	58	41.7	30.2	22.5		27.8	32.6	15.0		25.0	17.5	$14,955	$1,673	$13,282
North LeValley Elementary School	Public	K-5	2120 N State Rd	Ionia	48846	Ionia County	Ionia Township S/D #2	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 527-4900	10	1	9.5	40.0%	10 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)											$27,526	$9,774	$17,752
Alto Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6150 Bancroft Ave SE	Alto	49302	Kent County	Lowell Area Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 987-2600	417	25	16.6	15.6%	378 (90.6%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (4.6%)	87.1	175^th of 1492 public elementary schools	88.3%		92.3	86^th of 1488 public elementary schools	94.2%	89	54.3	65.3	53.0		72.9	76.0	51.5		60.6	48.5	$14,076	$975	$13,101

Frequently Asked Questions about Saranac Elementary School

How many students attend Saranac Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 433 students attended Saranac Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Saranac Elementary School attend?

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

High : Saranac JrSr High School

Is Saranac Elementary School a good school?

Saranac Elementary School ranks 605^th of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Saranac Elementary School?

Students at Saranac Elementary School are 91% White, 6% Hispanic, 1% African American.

What district is Saranac Elementary School in?

Saranac Community Schools

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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.