Holmes Elementary School

Holmes Elementary School in Spring Lake, MI, serves 409 students in grades PK through 4 and is part of the Spring Lake Public Schools district, which ranks among the top 1% of districts in Michigan.

Holmes is not just a good school—it is a top-10 school in the entire state. In the 2025-2026 school year, it ranked 7th out of 1,492 Michigan elementary schools, earning a 5-star rating. This is no fluke; the school has stayed in the top 2% statewide for over a decade. What makes this even more impressive is how Holmes achieves these results with students from all backgrounds. The school ranks 5th in the state for its effectiveness with students from low-income families, proving that a child's economic background does not determine their success here. With about 23% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, Holmes is closing achievement gaps that many schools struggle to address. The school also excels at engaging young boys, ranking 2nd in the entire state for its work with male students—a remarkable feat since many schools find this demographic challenging, especially in reading.

Academically, Holmes's math program is a standout. A staggering 90.6% of 4th graders are proficient in math, compared to the state average of 39.4%. Reading scores are equally strong, with 85.5% of 3rd graders proficient in ELA—more than double the state average. Chronic absenteeism is just 7.5%, nearly four times lower than the state average, reflecting high family engagement and student satisfaction. Interestingly, Holmes achieves all this while spending less per student than several nearby schools. For example, Ferry School spends nearly double what Holmes spends per student, yet only 37.5% of its 3rd graders are proficient in reading. The one area where Holmes is merely "above average" rather than elite is special education services, where it ranks in the 81st percentile—still solid, but a clear opportunity for growth compared to its other top-tier results.