Sturgis Middle School

Sturgis Middle School in Sturgis, MI, serves 634 students in grades 6-8 within the Sturgis Public Schools district, and it faces significant socioeconomic challenges, with nearly 69% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

Academically, Sturgis Middle School ranks in the bottom third of Michigan middle schools, with math proficiency being a particular concern. In the most recent school year, only about 14% of 6th and 7th graders were proficient in math on the M-Step, compared to state averages above 31%. This is dramatically lower than nearby Three Rivers Middle School, which posted proficiency rates around 31% in the same grades. The school also has a higher student-to-teacher ratio (19.4) than Three Rivers (14.4) or Constantine Middle School (16.2), and it spends less per student ($12,510) than either neighboring district. Chronic absenteeism is another persistent issue, with 28.2% of students chronically absent—well above the district average of 21.8% and a figure that has remained above 26% for four straight years.

There are some encouraging signs, however. Eighth-grade reading scores on the PSAT (51.9% proficient) are the school's strongest relative performance, coming within 13 points of the state average. Social studies proficiency in 8th grade has more than doubled in two years, from 15.5% to 36.3%. Still, the school's Hispanic students rank in the 5th percentile statewide, a performance level well below the school's overall 28th percentile ranking, indicating a widening gap that needs attention. For parents, this school offers a dedicated staff working against real obstacles, but the data suggests that math instruction, attendance, and support for specific student groups are areas where improvement is most needed.