Summary:
Zip code 48009 in Birmingham, Michigan, is home to just one middle school, Derby Middle School, which serves grades 6-8 and is part of the highly-ranked Birmingham Public Schools district.
Derby Middle School is an elite institution, consistently ranking in the top 22 of nearly 900 Michigan middle schools (98th percentile or higher) for three straight years. With only 8.56% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch and per-student spending at $22,336, the school serves a highly affluent community with substantial resources. Academically, students dramatically outperform state averages by 23 to 38 percentage points across all subjects. Social studies is a clear strength at 82.7% proficiency, and 8th-grade PSAT ELA results are exceptional at 89.3%. However, math is the relative weak spot, with proficiency ranging from 68-71%—still far above state levels but lower than other subjects. Interestingly, despite its high ranking, Derby Middle School slightly underperforms its own district in several areas, including 6th-grade ELA (60.8% vs. 64.8%) and 8th-grade science (66.7% vs. 69.7%), suggesting other district schools may be even stronger in certain subjects.
The most notable concern is a recent ranking decline from #6 (2023-24) to #22 (2025-26), correlating with significant year-over-year drops in 7th-grade ELA (-7.8 points) and 8th-grade science (-8.9 points). Chronic absenteeism also runs higher than the district average (12.6% vs. 9.1%), though still well below the state rate of 27.9%. While the school's substantial resources and low economic disadvantage provide a strong foundation, the slight underperformance versus district peers in several subjects and the declining ELA scores suggest room for improvement. For parents, Derby Middle School offers an excellent education with strong college-readiness preparation, but the recent trends warrant attention to ensure the school maximizes its considerable advantages across all grade levels and subjects.
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