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Tri County Middle School

Q: Is Tri County Middle School a good school?

Tri County Middle School ranks 524 th of 896 Michigan middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

524^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 896 Michigan Middle Schools

Better than 42% of Michigan middle schools

Summary

Tri County Middle School in Howard City, MI, serves 381 students in grades 6-8 and is part of the Tri County Area Schools district, which ranks in the middle of the pack statewide.

Academically, Tri County Middle School faces significant challenges. Proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies are all below the state average. For example, 7th-grade math proficiency sits at 19% compared to the state average of 33.3%. This performance is notably lower than nearby schools like Sparta Middle School, Cedar Springs Middle School, and Greenville Middle School, which all outperform the state average in most subjects. The school also struggles with chronic absenteeism at 27.9%, a rate much higher than the roughly 11% seen at East Rockford Middle School and North Rockford Middle School. However, Tri County is not alone in these struggles—schools like Morley Stanwood Middle School, Newaygo Middle School, and Kent City Middle School face similar issues with achievement and attendance.

There are some encouraging signs. In the most recent testing year, 7th-grade ELA proficiency jumped to 35.2%, a significant improvement from 20.9% the year before. Additionally, the school has shown dramatic progress in serving its Special Education students, moving from the 13th percentile statewide to the 48th percentile. Spending per student at $13,639 is comparable to higher-performing schools like Cedar Springs ($13,721) and Sparta ($14,850), suggesting the performance gap is not simply about funding. For parents, this picture suggests a school working to improve, with targeted interventions showing promise, though addressing chronic absenteeism remains a key priority for boosting overall achievement.

381

Students ?

17.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,639

Per pupil spending ?

41.2%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in Michigan receive free school meals.

21350 Kendaville Rd
Howard City, MI 49329-8751

(231) 937-4318

District: Tri County Area Schools

Students who attend Tri County Middle School usually attend:

High:

Tri County Senior High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

86.1%

Hispanic:

7.1%

Two or more races:

5.2%

See top rated Michigan middle schools

Compare Tri County Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 42nd percentile in 2016 → 42nd in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Michigan average (33% vs 41% meeting standards)

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

!Social Studies scores 15 pts below the Michigan average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school33%

District avg33%

Michigan avg41%

524^th of 896

Michigan public middle schools ?

Bottom 42%▼ down 1 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

303^rd of 625Tri County Area 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	39.5	524 of 896	41.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	32.2	588 of 890	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.8	565 of 897	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	43.1	484 of 883	45.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	35.2	496 of 776	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	26.0	512 of 675	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	30.5	555 of 792	29.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	50.4	434 of 838	48.2%	★★☆☆☆
2017	29.9	561 of 821	31.7%	★★☆☆☆
2016	42.2	516 of 894	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2015	50.0	460 of 919	49.9%	★★★☆☆
2014	51.8	467 of 921	49.3%	★★☆☆☆
2013	51.2	463 of 919	49.6%	★★☆☆☆
2012	43.1	553 of 900	38.6%	★★☆☆☆
2011	56.0	488 of 858	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2010	47.8	591 of 851	30.6%	★★☆☆☆
2009	48.1	580 of 847	31.5%	★★☆☆☆
2008	55.0	510 of 839	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2007	62.1	386 of 823	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2006	51.0	510 of 806	36.7%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	35.6	510 of 789	35.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	31.7	538 of 789	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	31.4	529 of 771	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	37.7	479 of 770	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	30.6	469 of 657	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	19.8	449 of 521	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	23.4	527 of 658	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	45.0	444 of 794	44.1%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	34.6	543 of 834	34.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	30.7	587 of 832	29.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	29.6	602 of 836	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	39.9	486 of 825	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	44.4	378 of 691	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	25.9	422 of 523	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	29.3	513 of 672	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	50.9	396 of 815	51.4%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	36.2	495 of 813	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	25.8	586 of 798	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	29.9	554 of 786	29.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	39.3	465 of 776	40.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	29.5	463 of 658	29.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	24.8	428 of 540	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	28.8	470 of 639	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	52.5	355 of 797	55.5%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	42.1	122 of 236	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	20.6	212 of 244	13.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	22.8	333 of 377	11.7%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	23.9	550 of 687	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	19.2	581 of 696	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	19.3	598 of 701	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	28.7	507 of 688	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	22.4	515 of 638	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	19.8	486 of 577	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	18.5	538 of 624	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	32.9	463 of 678	31.7%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Special Education (2026)48th percentile+7 vs school

Male (2026)39th percentile~ school

Female (2026)35th percentile-6 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)35th percentile-7 vs school

White (2026)20th percentile-22 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2025-2026) ?

Social Studies35%-15 vs state

English Language Arts35%-3 vs state

Mathematics27%-6 vs state

Science26%-13 vs state

Math23%-9 vs state

5.0

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What people are saying

by a student
Saturday, June 17, 2023

I use to go to coopersville schools and then I moved schools and now I am learning more stuff at a better/faster rate than coopersville

I love Tricounty Good teachers Close Quote

Schools Near Tri County Middle 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 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)		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 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 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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Tri County Middle School	Public	6-8	21350 Kendaville Rd	Howard City	49329	Montcalm County	Tri County Area Schools	No	No	No	No	(231) 937-4318	381	22	17.4	41.2%	328 (86.1%)	1 (0.3%)	27 (7.1%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.2%)	39.5	524^th of 896 public middle schools	41.5%		32.2	588^th of 890 public middle schools	33.9%	64	60.2	26.8			34.1	35.2			27.3	19.0		25.8		35.0	$13,639	$929	$12,710
Cedar Springs Middle School	Public	6-8	4873 16 Mile Rd NE	Cedar Springs	49319	Kent County	Cedar Springs Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 696-9100	657	36	18.4	38.2%	582 (88.6%)	3 (0.5%)	36 (5.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (5.2%)	67.5	233^rd of 896 public middle schools	74.0%		64.3	261^st of 890 public middle schools	70.7%	28	69.4	29.8			43.9	43.1			39.5	39.8		45.5		60.7	$13,721	$1,316	$12,405
Morley Stanwood Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	4700 Northland Dr	Morley	49336	Mecosta County	Morley Stanwood Community Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(231) 856-4550	234	14	16.2	66.2%	217 (92.7%)	4 (1.7%)	4 (1.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.4%)	29.4	616^th of 896 public middle schools	31.3%		22.2	673^rd of 890 public middle schools	24.4%	57	56.7	25.6			26.7	17.7			14.7	12.9		28.1		34.8	$15,667	$1,020	$14,648
Lakeview Middle School	Public	4-7	516 Washington St	Lakeview	48850	Montcalm County	Lakeview Community Schools (Montcalm)	No	No	No	Yes	(989) 352-8016	329	22	15.1	62.9%	292 (88.8%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (7.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.0%)	62.1	278^th of 896 public middle schools	69.0%		63.8	267^th of 890 public middle schools	70.0%	11			43.0	40.0	34.9	48.8	46.2	34.3	27.7	42.9	42.9		40.0		$14,954	$1,321	$13,633
Newaygo Middle School	Public	5-8	850 76th St	Newaygo	49337	Newaygo County	Newaygo Public School District	No	No	No	No	(231) 652-1285	472	29	16.3	63.1%	382 (80.9%)	4 (0.8%)	65 (13.8%)	1 (0.2%)	5 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.2%)	32.6	580^th of 896 public middle schools	35.3%		39.3	530^th of 890 public middle schools	40.4%	50	58.7	20.2		48.1	24.8	21.3		20.4	14.4	14.8	36.1	30.9	17.6	53.6	$16,029	$1,308	$14,721
Grant Middle School	Public	5-8	96 E 120th St	Grant	49327	Newaygo County	Grant Public School District	No	No	No	No	(231) 834-5910	445	25	17.4	62.9%	321 (72.1%)	3 (0.7%)	103 (23.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	15 (3.4%)	45.5	460^th of 896 public middle schools	48.7%		52	387^th of 890 public middle schools	56.5%	73	58.1	19.0		41.2	29.4	42.6		25.5	25.5	28.7	40.2	33.3	23.5	51.4	$14,792	$1,000	$13,792
Kent City Middle School	Public	6-8	285 N Main St	Kent City	49330	Kent County	Kent City Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 678-4214	290	13	21.9	60.0%	210 (72.4%)	0 (0.0%)	70 (24.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.1%)	38.1	540^th of 896 public middle schools	39.7%		38	538^th of 890 public middle schools	39.6%	2	69.0	29.8			16.3	20.0			17.4	27.0		34.1		44.7	$14,147	$1,794	$12,353
Greenville Middle School	Public	5-8	1321 Chase St	Greenville	48838	Montcalm County	Greenville Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 754-9361	797	44	17.9	49.4%	730 (91.6%)	7 (0.9%)	35 (4.4%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (2.6%)	60.1	298^th of 896 public middle schools	66.7%		68.8	225^th of 890 public middle schools	74.7%	73	65.3	32.1			39.5	38.0			39.5	33.5		40.8		53.6	$14,682	$1,201	$13,480
North Rockford Middle School	Public	6-8	397 E Division St	Rockford	49341	Kent County	Rockford Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 863-6300	908	54	16.8	18.2%	789 (86.9%)	5 (0.6%)	57 (6.3%)	15 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (4.6%)	96.9	20^th of 896 public middle schools	97.8%		96.5	23^rd of 890 public middle schools	97.4%	3	89.2	69.9			64.2	64.7			68.3	73.6		69.7		82.1	$14,846	$834	$14,012
Sparta Middle School	Public	6-8	235 E Spartan Dr	Sparta	49345	Kent County	Sparta Area Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 887-8211	503	27	18.6	40.4%	410 (81.5%)	7 (1.4%)	67 (13.3%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	13 (2.6%)	63.3	268^th of 896 public middle schools	70.1%		63.6	269^th of 890 public middle schools	69.8%	1	70.0	31.2			38.0	43.8			25.3	30.5		53.8		64.9	$14,850	$1,340	$13,510

Frequently Asked Questions about Tri County Middle School

How many students attend Tri County Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 381 students attended Tri County Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Tri County Middle School?

Students at Tri County Middle School are 86% White, 7% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What district is Tri County Middle School in?

Tri County Area Schools

Is Tri County Middle School a good school?

Tri County Middle School ranks 524^th of 896 Michigan middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What high school do graduates of Tri County Middle School attend?

Students who attend Tri County Middle School usually go on to attend Tri County Senior High School

Rate Tri County Middle School!

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MIMichigan Middle School Rankings

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Schools in Howard City, MI

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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.