Eastwood School

Eastwood School in Sturgis, MI, is the largest elementary school in the area, serving 642 students in grades 3-5 within the Sturgis Public Schools district, where about three-quarters of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Eastwood has consistently ranked in the bottom third of Michigan elementary schools over the past decade, currently holding a 1-star rating. While the school does a good job keeping kids in class—its chronic absenteeism rate of 17.2% is well below the state average of 27.9%—academic performance trails state averages by 8-15 percentage points across most subjects. One notable pattern is a significant decline in math proficiency as students progress: 3rd graders achieve about 35% proficiency, but by 5th grade that drops to just 20%. Science and social studies are also areas of concern, with only 23.6% and 14.6% of 5th graders proficient, respectively. Students with additional learning needs face the biggest challenges, with English Language Learners ranking at the 4th percentile statewide.

A useful comparison is Ryan Elementary School in nearby Bronson, which serves the same grades (3-5) with a similar poverty rate but achieves notably better results—ranking at the 42nd percentile with 2 stars. Ryan maintains a much lower student-teacher ratio (13.1 vs. 18.3) and spends more per student ($16,025 vs. $13,572). Eastwood also spends less than its district's K-2 schools (Congress School, Wall School, and Wenzel School), which may suggest resources are weighted toward earlier grades. The comparison with Ryan suggests that additional investment in smaller class sizes and targeted support—particularly for 5th grade math and English Learner students—could help Eastwood improve its outcomes.