Summary:
Zip code 48009, encompassing Birmingham, MI, is served by four top-rated schools within the Birmingham Public Schools district, which ranks 16th out of 625 districts statewide and includes two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.
This area offers an exceptional, seamless educational pipeline from kindergarten through 12th grade. Pierce Elementary School is a standout, with 5th-grade math proficiency at 76.9% and social studies at 68.1%—both roughly 40 points above state averages—and it feeds into Derby Middle School, which ranks in the 99th percentile statewide with 89.3% proficiency in 8th-grade ELA. These students then advance to Ernest W Seaholm High School, which boasts a 96.7% graduation rate, a 0% dropout rate, and SAT math proficiency (65.7%) that is 2.5 times the state average. While Quarton Elementary also earns a 5-star rating, it is the weaker link in the chain, particularly showing a significant 17-point decline in 5th-grade math proficiency (dropping to 43.8%) and more volatile year-over-year scores, likely due to its smaller cohort of 371 students.
All four schools serve a predominantly affluent population, with free/reduced lunch rates between 2.43% and 11.56%, and they dramatically outperform state averages in nearly every subject. However, a notable paradox exists: chronic absenteeism at the secondary level (13.7% at Seaholm and 12.6% at Derby) is roughly double the rate at the elementary schools, despite stellar academics. Additionally, Seaholm spends the most per student ($25,367), yet Pierce Elementary achieves larger proficiency gaps over state averages with $7,000 less per pupil, suggesting that higher spending does not directly correlate with higher relative performance. For families seeking a consistently excellent, well-resourced education, this zip code is a premier choice, though the data suggests keeping an eye on Quarton’s math curriculum and secondary attendance patterns.
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