Summary:
Zip code 48023 in Ira, Michigan is served by two elementary schools—Francois Maconce Elementary School (grades PK-4) and Palms Elementary School (grades PK-5)—which belong to different districts, the Anchor Bay School District and the East China School District, respectively.
For families comparing these two schools, the differences are dramatic and consistent. Palms Elementary is the clear academic leader, ranking in the 80th percentile statewide (4-star rating) and improving every year from the 62nd percentile in 2023-2024. In the most recent testing, Palms beat both its district and the state in every subject and grade tested, including 5th grade science (58.8% proficient vs. 40% statewide) and social studies (41.2% vs. 27.5%). By contrast, Francois Maconce has fallen from the 59th to the 34th percentile over two years and now scores below state averages in all four tested areas (3rd and 4th grade ELA and math). The proficiency gap between the two schools ranges from 20 to 35 percentage points in comparable grades.
The most telling factor is socioeconomic context. At Francois Maconce, 64.58% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch, compared to just 26.53% at Palms. This aligns with chronic absenteeism—34.9% at Francois Maconce versus 15.7% at Palms—and likely drives much of the academic divergence. Interestingly, Francois Maconce actually spends more per student ($15,714 vs. $13,033) and has a lower student-teacher ratio (13.9:1 vs. 16.1:1), yet achieves far weaker results. This suggests that additional resources alone cannot overcome the challenges associated with higher poverty and absenteeism. For parents in this zip code, the choice is stark: Palms offers a consistently improving, high-performing environment, while Francois Maconce is struggling and trending downward, with its PK-4 structure also requiring a school transition for 5th grade.
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