Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Gaines Elementary School

Q: Is Gaines Elementary School a good school?

Gaines Elementary School ranks 895 th of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

895^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 Michigan Elementary Schools

Better than 40% of Michigan elementary schools

Summary

Gaines Elementary School is a small, rural K-5 school in Gaines, MI, serving just 93 students as part of the Swartz Creek Community Schools district.

One of the most notable things about Gaines is its unusually strong results with students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. In the 2023-2024 school year, this group performed in the 63rd percentile statewide—far exceeding the school's overall ranking and suggesting that targeted support for these students is working well. At the same time, the school's overall academic performance has been inconsistent, with test scores swinging sharply from year to year. For example, 5th-grade science proficiency went from an impressive 51.9% in 2023-2024 to just 20% in 2025-2026, well below the state average of 40%. This volatility, combined with a small student body, means that individual classroom dynamics can have an outsized impact on school-wide results. Chronic absenteeism is another serious concern: while the rate has improved from a staggering 46.4% in 2021-2022 to 23.4% in 2024-2025, it remains higher than nearby schools like Hyatt Elementary and Robert Kerr School, and nearly double the rate seen in the high-performing Linden Community Schools.

Financially, Gaines is a high-investment school. It spends $17,784 per student—significantly more than nearby Dieck Elementary School ($13,973) or Elms Road Elementary School ($12,859)—and maintains a low student-teacher ratio of 13.2, offering a more intimate learning environment than most peers. However, this investment has not yet translated into consistently high academic outcomes. The contrast with nearby Linden schools is stark: in 2025-2026, Central Elementary School posted 5th-grade math proficiency of 57.3% versus Gaines' 33.3%, and science proficiency of 59.1% versus Gaines' 20%. For parents, Gaines offers a caring, small-school atmosphere with clear strengths in supporting low-income students, but families should be aware of the academic inconsistency and absenteeism challenges that remain.

Students ?

13.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,784

Per pupil spending ?

35.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

300 Lansing St
Gaines, MI 48436-8926

(810) 591-1076

District: Swartz Creek Community Schools

Students who attend Gaines Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Swartz Creek Middle School
High:	Swartz Creek High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

87.1%

Hispanic:

6.5%

Two or more races:

4.3%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Gaines Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 82nd percentile in 2015 → 40th in 2026

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 42 percentile points since 2015

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

!Science scores 20 pts below the Michigan average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school34%

District avg29%

Michigan avg38%

895^th of 1,492

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Bottom 40%▼ down 39 pts since 2016

From top 21% (2016) to bottom 40% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 3Elementary Schools in the Swartz Creek Community Schools

434^th of 625Swartz Creek 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	37.4	895 of 1492	40.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	31.3	990 of 1488	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.2	832 of 1486	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	34.0	934 of 1470	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	36.5	816 of 1344	39.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	53.1	617 of 1408	56.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	46.6	841 of 1448	41.9%	★★☆☆☆
2017	56.2	565 of 1466	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2016	74.9	330 of 1548	78.7%	★★★★☆
2015	79.2	281 of 1580	82.2%	★★★★☆
2014	78.8	277 of 1533	81.9%	★★★★☆
2013	63.0	575 of 1563	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2012	62.4	575 of 1566	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2011	74.7	357 of 1552	77.0%	★★★★☆
2010	81.2	107 of 1552	93.1%	★★★★★
2009	81.2	169 of 1589	89.4%	★★★★☆
2008	84.3	87 of 1577	94.5%	★★★★★
2007	81.7	157 of 1565	90.0%	★★★★★
2006	71.5	404 of 1545	73.9%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2023	48.1	633 of 1321	52.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	57.9	620 of 1443	57.0%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2024	57.3	512 of 1381	62.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	60.9	497 of 1397	64.4%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2024	42.9	735 of 1347	45.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	35.7	838 of 1334	37.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	33.7	1009 of 1446	30.2%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	21.9	975 of 1199	18.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	18.1	1046 of 1206	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	32.9	824 of 1204	31.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	26.6	914 of 1198	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	24.4	870 of 1102	21.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	38.3	714 of 1128	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	25.3	1002 of 1253	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆

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 (2024)63rd percentile+19 vs school

Female (2023)52nd percentile+16 vs school

Male (2024)45th percentile~ school

White (2026)19th percentile-21 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2025-2026) ?

Math44%+6 vs state

English Language Arts35%-6 vs state

Science20%-20 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

Rate Gaines Elementary School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a parent
Saturday, December 26, 2015

We have been in Gaines elementary school since 2011. We cannot say enough great things about this school. everyone is a family who look out for your children as if they were their own. Close Quote

Schools Near Gaines Elementary School

Load more schools when map is moved

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 Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th 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
Gaines Elementary School	Public	K-5	300 Lansing St	Gaines	48436	Genesee County	Swartz Creek Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(810) 591-1076	93	7	13.2	35.5%	81 (87.1%)	2 (2.2%)	6 (6.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (4.3%)	37.4	895^th of 1492 public elementary schools	40.0%		31.3	990^th of 1488 public elementary schools	33.5%	95	37.5		33.3	43.8		1480.6	20.0	1474.2	$17,784	$1,565	$16,219
Byron Area Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	401 E Maple St	Byron	48418	Shiawassee County	Byron Area Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(810) 266-4671	310	21	14.5	58.1%	285 (91.9%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.5%)	42.9	811^th of 1492 public elementary schools	45.6%		56.4	621^st of 1488 public elementary schools	58.3%	190	28.6	23.4	45.1	49.0	25.5	27.5	47.1	25.5	$13,075	$1,053	$12,023
Robert Kerr School	Public	2-5	9591 E Monroe Rd	Durand	48429	Shiawassee County	Durand Area Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(989) 288-2805	361	22	16.2	56.0%	328 (90.9%)	2 (0.6%)	7 (1.9%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (6.1%)	38.6	880^th of 1492 public elementary schools	41.0%		36.6	914^th of 1488 public elementary schools	38.6%	34	40.2	36.5	36.5	39.1	26.0	22.4	40.0	17.6	$14,204	$1,094	$13,110
Bertha Neal School	Public	PK, KG-1	930 W Main St	Durand	48429	Shiawassee County	Durand Area Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(989) 288-2016	158	15	10.5	59.5%	148 (93.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (5.1%)								(n/a)									$16,965	$1,169	$15,796
Syring Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	5300 Oakview Dr	Swartz Creek	48473	Genesee County	Swartz Creek Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(810) 591-1301	354	19	18.2	56.8%	265 (74.9%)	39 (11.0%)	27 (7.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (6.5%)								(n/a)									$13,313	$1,394	$11,919
Central Elementary School	Public	4-5	7199 Silver Lake Rd	Linden	48451	Genesee County	Linden Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(810) 591-8410	337	18	18.9	30.6%	307 (91.1%)	5 (1.5%)	14 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.3%)	84.9	200^th of 1492 public elementary schools	86.6%		82.8	232^nd of 1488 public elementary schools	84.4%	32		50.3	68.4		50.3	57.3	59.1	56.7	$12,734	$751	$11,983
Hyatt Elementary	Public	PK, KG-3	325 Stan Eaton Dr	Linden	48451	Genesee County	Linden Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(810) 591-8180	351	21	16.8	32.8%	320 (91.2%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.7%)								(n/a)	56.7			60.8					$15,933	$1,049	$14,885
Linden Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	400 S Bridge St	Linden	48451	Genesee County	Linden Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(810) 591-9130	295	16	18.0	31.2%	250 (84.7%)	4 (1.4%)	18 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	22 (7.5%)								(n/a)	64.9			67.6					$15,862	$1,072	$14,790
Dieck Elementary School	Public	2-5	2239 Van Vleet Rd	Swartz Creek	48473	Genesee County	Swartz Creek Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(810) 591-5271	334	18	18.7	44.0%	271 (81.1%)	24 (7.2%)	16 (4.8%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	19 (5.7%)	38.4	882^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	40.9%		37.1	907^th of 1488 public elementary schools	39.0%	25	30.8	35.6	46.8	31.8	23.1	26.1	42.7	19.1	$13,973	$1,171	$12,802
Rankin Elementary School	Public	K-5	3459 Mundy Ave	Swartz Creek	48473	Genesee County	Carman-Ainsworth Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(810) 591-4605	237	18	13.2	84.4%	113 (47.7%)	63 (26.6%)	21 (8.9%)	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (15.6%)	46.6	750^th of 1492 public elementary schools	49.7%		31.3	989^th of 1488 public elementary schools	33.5%	239	70.3	33.3	44.9	75.7	28.8	24.6	36.2	19.1	$17,884	$2,317	$15,567

Frequently Asked Questions about Gaines Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Gaines Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Swartz Creek Middle School
High : Swartz Creek High School

Is Gaines Elementary School a good school?

Gaines Elementary School ranks 895^th of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Gaines Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 93 students attended Gaines Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Gaines Elementary School?

Students at Gaines Elementary School are 87% White, 6% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 2% African American.

What district is Gaines Elementary School in?

Swartz Creek Community Schools

Rate Gaines Elementary School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

MIMichigan Elementary School Rankings

MIMichigan District Rankings

Schools in Gaines, MI

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Gaines Elementary School!

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.