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Shepherd Elementary School

Q: Is Shepherd Elementary School a good school?

Shepherd Elementary School ranks 678 th of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public, Magnet Grades K-5

678^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 Michigan Elementary Schools

Better than 55% of Michigan elementary schools

Summary

Shepherd Elementary School in Shepherd, MI, serves 544 students in Kindergarten through 5th grade and is part of the Shepherd Public Schools district, which ranks in the 62nd percentile statewide.

Shepherd Elementary has shown a promising upward trend, climbing from the 22nd percentile in 2020-2021 to the 55th percentile in 2025-2026, and now holds a 3-star rating. The school demonstrates notable strengths with specific student groups. It performs exceptionally well with male students, ranking in the 61st percentile, and with students from low socio-economic backgrounds, ranking in the 60th percentile—both higher than its overall rank. This is particularly encouraging given that over 57% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. However, the school faces a significant challenge in serving its Special Education students, ranking in the bottom 20th percentile statewide, a pattern that has persisted for several years. Additionally, chronic absenteeism at 19.2% is a concern, though it is better than the state average of 27.9%.

When compared to nearby schools, Shepherd Elementary is a strong regional option. Its 5th-grade ELA proficiency (44%) significantly exceeds that of Mary McGuire School (24%) and Fancher School (32%) in Mt. Pleasant, as well as Eugene M Nikkari Elementary (26.3%) in St. Louis. Within its own district, however, Winn Elementary consistently outperforms Shepherd, ranking in the 64th percentile with significantly higher test scores in 4th-grade ELA (65.8% vs. 35.1%) and Math (60.5% vs. 33.8%). Winn also has a much lower chronic absenteeism rate (9.0% vs. 19.2%). While Shepherd has a higher percentage of low-income students, the achievement gap suggests that improving attendance and addressing the needs of Special Education students could be key levers for continued growth.

544

Students ?

15.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,533

Per pupil spending ?

57.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

301 S 4th St
Shepherd, MI 48883-9099

(989) 828-5998

District: Shepherd Public Schools

Students who attend Shepherd Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Shepherd Middle School
High:	Shepherd High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

85.1%

Hispanic:

5.9%

American Indian:

5.5%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Shepherd Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 42nd percentile in 2016 → 55th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 13 percentile points since 2016

✓Above the Michigan median (55th percentile)

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school39%

District avg41%

Michigan avg38%

678^th of 1,492

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Top 45%▲ up 13 pts since 2016

From bottom 42% (2016) to top 45% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 2Elementary Schools in the Shepherd Public Schools

236^th of 625Shepherd 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	51.5	678 of 1492	54.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	52.3	681 of 1488	54.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	44.7	769 of 1486	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	44.3	776 of 1470	47.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	40.6	750 of 1344	44.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	24.1	896 of 1153	22.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	35.1	908 of 1408	35.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	46.8	834 of 1448	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2017	36.3	927 of 1466	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2016	43.8	897 of 1548	42.1%	★★☆☆☆
2015	45.3	914 of 1580	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2014	37.2	1061 of 1533	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2013	40.3	1020 of 1563	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2012	36.8	1107 of 1566	29.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	55.4	889 of 1552	42.7%	★★☆☆☆
2010	66.6	643 of 1552	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2009	66.4	628 of 1589	60.5%	★★★☆☆
2008	61.8	710 of 1577	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2007	66.7	548 of 1565	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2006	62.8	647 of 1545	58.1%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	35.9	819 of 1343	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	35.6	841 of 1338	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	30.8	931 of 1342	30.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	33.0	869 of 1321	34.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	24.8	875 of 1106	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	17.8	806 of 902	10.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	25.9	897 of 1171	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	43.0	863 of 1443	40.2%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	54.8	537 of 1352	60.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	53.9	566 of 1346	57.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	44.1	734 of 1381	46.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	43.2	751 of 1350	44.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.1	619 of 1099	43.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	25.8	614 of 749	18.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	38.7	726 of 1134	36.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	48.2	765 of 1397	45.2%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	57.8	535 of 1372	61.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	58.8	537 of 1366	60.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	48.1	661 of 1347	50.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	46.2	684 of 1334	48.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	43.9	613 of 1139	46.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	26.3	709 of 915	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	32.6	810 of 1196	32.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	48.0	792 of 1446	45.2%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	24.9	197 of 246	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	19.3	225 of 252	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	19.2	198 of 225	12.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	40.7	124 of 195	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	39.6	234 of 403	41.9%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	39.1	734 of 1199	38.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	37.2	783 of 1206	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	29.0	869 of 1204	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	31.8	839 of 1198	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	28.4	813 of 1102	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	18.0	882 of 1005	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	21.6	942 of 1128	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	34.3	879 of 1253	29.8%	★☆☆☆☆

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 (2026)61st percentile+6 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)60th percentile+6 vs school

Female (2026)39th percentile-16 vs school

White (2026)39th percentile-16 vs school

Special Education (2026)20th percentile-35 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2025-2026) ?

Science44%+4 vs state

English Language Arts43%~ state avg

Math37%~ state avg

Social Studies23%-5 vs state

5.0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Shepherd has many resources to help children learn and grow Close Quote

Schools Near Shepherd 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)				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
Shepherd Elementary School	Public, Magnet	K-5	301 S 4th St	Shepherd	48883	Isabella County	Shepherd Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(989) 828-5998	544	35	15.6	57.4%	463 (85.1%)	8 (1.5%)	32 (5.9%)	2 (0.4%)	30 (5.5%)	1 (0.2%)	8 (1.5%)	51.5	678^th of 1492 public elementary schools	54.6%		52.3	681^st of 1488 public elementary schools	54.2%	3			49.5	35.1	44.0			44.4	33.8	32.5			44.0		22.9		$16,533	$1,250	$15,283
Renaissance Public School Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	2797 S Isabella Rd	Mount Pleasant	48858	Isabella County	Renaissance Public School Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(989) 773-9889	428	28	15.4	58.9%	294 (68.7%)	26 (6.1%)	10 (2.3%)	4 (0.9%)	20 (4.7%)	1 (0.2%)	73 (17.1%)	29.4	1012^th of 1492 public elementary schools	32.2%		34.6	945^th of 1488 public elementary schools	36.5%	67	56.0	10.0	34.8	28.0	36.0	36.7	25.5	6.5	18.0	14.0	34.7	19.1	26.0	28.0	14.0	38.0	$12,800	$1,385	$11,415
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
Fancher School	Public	3-5	801 S Kinney Ave	Mount Pleasant	48858	Isabella County	Mt. Pleasant City School District	No	No	No	No	(989) 775-2230	431	27	15.8	46.4%	315 (73.1%)	16 (3.7%)	40 (9.3%)	8 (1.9%)	17 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (8.1%)	28.2	1031^st of 1492 public elementary schools	30.9%		37.7	898^th of 1488 public elementary schools	39.7%	133			27.1	33.8	32.0			30.6	33.3	23.0			26.3		11.8		$14,694	$1,056	$13,639
Pullen Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	251 S Brown St	Mount Pleasant	48858	Isabella County	Mt. Pleasant City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(989) 775-2270	303	20	14.8	62.7%	187 (61.7%)	14 (4.6%)	40 (13.2%)	5 (1.7%)	26 (8.6%)	3 (1.0%)	28 (9.2%)								(n/a)																	$16,736	$1,855	$14,881
Mary McGuire School	Public	3-5	4883 Crosslanes St	Mount Pleasant	48858	Isabella County	Mt. Pleasant City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(989) 775-2260	276	22	12.8	60.5%	181 (65.6%)	11 (4.0%)	21 (7.6%)	5 (1.8%)	23 (8.3%)	1 (0.4%)	34 (12.3%)	21.1	1154^th of 1492 public elementary schools	22.7%		25.4	1072^nd of 1488 public elementary schools	28.0%	82			22.4	22.1	24.0			29.4	19.8	21.1			28.1		14.6		$16,047	$1,950	$14,097
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
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
Carrie Knause Early Childhood Learning Center	Public	PK, KG-2	121 I And K St	Saint Louis	48880	Gratiot County	St. Louis Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(989) 681-3535	206	13	15.8	69.4%	148 (71.8%)	1 (0.5%)	41 (19.9%)	1 (0.5%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (6.3%)								(n/a)																	$16,024	$2,298	$13,726
Eugene M Nikkari Elementary	Public	3-5	301 W State St	Saint Louis	48880	Gratiot County	St. Louis Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(989) 681-5131	215	13	16.5	72.1%	189 (87.9%)	3 (1.4%)	18 (8.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	4 (1.9%)	14.3	1291^st of 1492 public elementary schools	13.5%		20.7	1143^rd of 1488 public elementary schools	23.2%	148			16.2	18.9	26.3			16.2	18.9	12.5			19.6		14.3		$14,345	$2,228	$12,117

Frequently Asked Questions about Shepherd Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Shepherd Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Shepherd Middle School
High : Shepherd High School

Is Shepherd Elementary School a good school?

Shepherd Elementary School ranks 678^th of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Shepherd Elementary School in?

Shepherd Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Shepherd Elementary School?

Students at Shepherd Elementary School are 85% White, 6% Hispanic, 6% American Indian, 1% African American, 1% Two or more races.

How many students attend Shepherd Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 544 students attended Shepherd Elementary School.

Rate Shepherd 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.