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Traverse Heights Elementary School

Q: Is Traverse Heights Elementary School a good school?

Traverse Heights Elementary School ranks 965 th of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

965^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,492 Michigan Elementary Schools

Better than 35% of Michigan elementary schools

Summary

Traverse Heights Elementary School in Traverse City, MI, is a small PK-5 school with 245 students, serving a diverse neighborhood within the Traverse City Area Public Schools district.

If you're looking at this school, the most important thing to understand is that it serves a very different population than most other elementary schools in the district. About 73% of students qualify for free and reduced lunch, a rate dramatically higher than nearby schools like Willow Hill Elementary School (14%) or Eastern Elementary School (20%). This economic disadvantage is reflected in test scores, which have historically been well below district and state averages. For example, 3rd-grade math proficiency was just 15.6% in the most recent testing year, compared to 51.8% for the district. Chronic absenteeism is also a major challenge, with 36.8% of students missing significant school time—nearly double the district rate. This is a critical issue because attendance is strongly tied to learning.

However, there are encouraging signs. The most recent data shows the school improving from the 22nd to the 35th percentile statewide, and its star rating increased from 1 to 2 stars. Fifth-grade reading proficiency jumped from 23.4% to 50%, and science scores nearly doubled. The school also spends more per student ($19,376) than any other comparable school in the district, including high-performing Willow Hill ($13,949), and maintains a lower student-teacher ratio of 13.2. This investment suggests the district is committed to supporting the school. While Traverse Heights still faces significant hurdles, the recent gains indicate that efforts to improve outcomes may be starting to take hold, offering a hopeful outlook for families considering this school.

245

Students ?

13.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$19,376

Per pupil spending ?

73.1%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in Michigan receive free school meals.

78.6%

Kindergartners complete for all required vaccines (2025-26)

Exemptions: 14.3% (any vaccine)

933 Rose St
Traverse City, MI 49686-4231

(231) 933-3500

District: Traverse City Area Public Schools

Students who attend Traverse Heights Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	East Middle School
High:	Central High School
	Traverse City High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

60.4%

Hispanic:

14.7%

American Indian:

13.1%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Traverse Heights Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 33rd percentile in 2015 → 35th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Michigan average (29% vs 38% meeting standards)

!High chronic absenteeism (37% vs 28% Michigan)

!Math scores 21 pts below the Michigan average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school29%

District avg47%

Michigan avg38%

965^th of 1,492

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Bottom 35%▲ up 5 pts since 2016

From bottom 30% (2016) to bottom 35% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

10^th of 11Elementary Schools in the Traverse City Area Public Schools

146^th of 625Traverse City Area 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)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	32.4	965 of 1492	35.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	19.8	1162 of 1488	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	22.2	1138 of 1486	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	11.9	1285 of 1470	12.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	20.3	1073 of 1344	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	18.0	1163 of 1408	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	26.5	1122 of 1448	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	15.0	1251 of 1466	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	32.1	1076 of 1548	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2015	36.8	1052 of 1580	33.4%	★★☆☆☆
2014	54.1	758 of 1533	50.6%	★★★☆☆
2013	32.9	1149 of 1563	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	34.2	1164 of 1566	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	45.6	1087 of 1552	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2010	45.3	1149 of 1552	26.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	22.9	1394 of 1589	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	38.3	1225 of 1577	22.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	35.2	1249 of 1565	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	30.6	1304 of 1545	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	34.3	842 of 1343	37.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	18.2	1111 of 1338	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	22.4	1049 of 1342	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	10.8	1207 of 1321	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	24.5	1118 of 1443	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	37.7	825 of 1352	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	24.4	1046 of 1346	22.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	26.4	1056 of 1381	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	18.6	1131 of 1350	16.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	28.7	815 of 1099	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	26.3	890 of 1134	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	37.9	924 of 1397	33.9%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	28.3	960 of 1372	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	16.7	1141 of 1366	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	23.8	1023 of 1347	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	11.9	1196 of 1334	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	30.6	1043 of 1446	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	24.4	929 of 1199	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	16.2	1061 of 1206	12.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	16.5	1063 of 1204	11.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	9.0	1138 of 1198	5.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	20.1	921 of 1102	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	20.1	959 of 1128	15.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	21.0	1063 of 1253	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2008	52.6	530 of 839	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2006	47.8	547 of 806	32.1%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Elementary school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)39th percentile+4 vs school

Female (2026)37th percentile~ school

Male (2026)30th percentile-5 vs school

White (2026)23rd percentile-13 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2025-2026) ?

Science40%~ state avg

English Language Arts35%-6 vs state

Math17%-21 vs state

★

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Schools Near Traverse Heights 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 Vaccination 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)		Vaccination (2025-26)		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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	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	Vaccination: Kindergartners complete for all required vaccines	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Traverse Heights Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	933 Rose St	Traverse City	49686	Grand Traverse County	Traverse City Area Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 933-3500	245	18	13.2	73.1%	148 (60.4%)	22 (9.0%)	36 (14.7%)	4 (1.6%)	32 (13.1%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	32.4	965^th of 1492 public elementary schools	35.3%		19.8	1162^nd of 1488 public elementary schools	21.9%	197			27.9	29.4	50.0			15.6	1374.9	18.8			40.0		1475.7		78.6%	14.3%	$19,376	$2,201	$17,175
Central Grade School	Public	PK, KG-7	301 W Seventh St	Traverse City	49684	Grand Traverse County	Traverse City Area Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 933-5910	510	30	17.0	42.4%	426 (83.5%)	17 (3.3%)	26 (5.1%)	24 (4.7%)	13 (2.5%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	82.9	231^st of 1492 public elementary schools	84.5%		81.8	248^th of 1488 public elementary schools	83.3%	17			49.3	61.0	69.6			45.7	43.8	62.8			66.1		53.6		78.8%	21.2%	$15,714	$1,254	$14,461
Eastern Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1600 Eastern Ave	Traverse City	49686	Grand Traverse County	Traverse City Area Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(231) 933-5600	475	26	18.5	20.2%	428 (90.1%)	10 (2.1%)	11 (2.3%)	19 (4.0%)	6 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	65.5	483^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	67.6%		73.8	354^th of 1488 public elementary schools	76.2%	129			70.4	57.5	50.0			76.1	41.3	25.0			39.5		28.9		95.8%	2.8%	$14,502	$731	$13,770
TCAPS Montessori School	Public	PK, KG-8	4053 Franke Rd	Traverse City	49684	Grand Traverse County	Traverse City Area Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(231) 933-6420	331	20	16.4	17.5%	302 (91.2%)	11 (3.3%)	7 (2.1%)	5 (1.5%)	5 (1.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	81.7	241^st of 1492 public elementary schools	83.8%		85.5	199^th of 1488 public elementary schools	86.6%	42	506.7	529.2	60.4	57.5	68.3	74.1	76.7	54.2	50.0	43.9	85.2	76.7	58.5	66.7	36.6	1815.8	100%	0%	$16,808	$717	$16,092
Willow Hill Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1250 Hill St	Traverse City	49684	Grand Traverse County	Traverse City Area Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(231) 933-8540	429	23	18.3	14.0%	406 (94.6%)	5 (1.2%)	9 (2.1%)	3 (0.7%)	6 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	78	287^th of 1492 public elementary schools	80.8%		79.8	273^rd of 1488 public elementary schools	81.7%	14			48.7	59.3	67.5			56.6	54.2	42.5			51.3		42.5		98.2%	1.8%	$13,949	$717	$13,232
Cherry Knoll Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1800 3 Mile Rd N	Traverse City	49696	Grand Traverse County	Traverse City Area Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 933-8940	333	22	15.0	29.7%	282 (84.7%)	14 (4.2%)	15 (4.5%)	5 (1.5%)	14 (4.2%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	56.3	607^th of 1492 public elementary schools	59.3%		56.3	624^th of 1488 public elementary schools	58.1%	17			47.4	42.0	60.8			45.6	28.0	37.3			41.2		25.5		89.4%	10.6%	$15,049	$1,110	$13,940
Courtade Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1111 Rasho Rd	Traverse City	49686	Grand Traverse County	Traverse City Area Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 933-5800	215	15	14.2	28.8%	188 (87.4%)	9 (4.2%)	6 (2.8%)	5 (2.3%)	7 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	80.2	259^th of 1492 public elementary schools	82.6%		75.6	328^th of 1488 public elementary schools	78.0%	69			70.8	50.0	59.0			69.6	37.5	61.5			61.5		35.9		93.5%	4.8%	$17,823	$1,206	$16,616
Silver Lake Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5858 Culver Rd	Traverse City	49684	Grand Traverse County	Traverse City Area Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 933-3580	286	18	15.9	37.8%	265 (92.7%)	4 (1.4%)	9 (3.1%)	2 (0.7%)	6 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39.8	867^th of 1492 public elementary schools	41.9%		50.3	711^th of 1488 public elementary schools	52.2%	156			37.1	29.4	48.5			34.3	19.6	39.4			39.4		21.2		91.2%	8.8%	$15,944	$1,288	$14,656
Long Lake Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	7600 N Long Lake Rd	Traverse City	49685	Grand Traverse County	Traverse City Area Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 933-7800	364	22	16.3	32.4%	325 (89.3%)	6 (1.6%)	14 (3.8%)	7 (1.9%)	10 (2.7%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	60.9	542^nd of 1492 public elementary schools	63.7%		47.9	754^th of 1488 public elementary schools	49.3%	212			50.8	36.2	53.2			53.8	29.8	38.3			55.3		25.5		76.4%	23.6%	$15,170	$1,114	$14,056
Blair Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1625 Sawyer Rd	Traverse City	49685	Grand Traverse County	Traverse City Area Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 933-5700	202	18	11.2	63.9%	168 (83.2%)	5 (2.5%)	16 (7.9%)	3 (1.5%)	9 (4.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	20.8	1165^th of 1492 public elementary schools	21.9%		25.1	1077^th of 1488 public elementary schools	27.6%	88			23.5	12.9	26.9			32.4	19.4	15.4			30.8		1472.0		83.9%	14.5%	$20,986	$1,971	$19,015

Frequently Asked Questions about Traverse Heights Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Traverse Heights Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Traverse Heights Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : East Middle School
High : Central High School
High : Traverse City High School

What district is Traverse Heights Elementary School in?

Traverse City Area Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Traverse Heights Elementary School?

Students at Traverse Heights Elementary School are 60% White, 15% Hispanic, 13% American Indian, 9% African American, 2% Asian, 1% Pacific Islander.

How many students attend Traverse Heights Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 245 students attended Traverse Heights Elementary School.

Is Traverse Heights Elementary School a good school?

Traverse Heights Elementary School ranks 965^th of 1492 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Traverse Heights Elementary School!

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Schools in Traverse City, MI

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Latest Michigan data All new data »

2021–22 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)NewOct 19, 2026

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

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.