Summary:
Zip code 48036, covering Clinton Township, MI, is served by three public schools: Algonquin Middle School (grades 6-8), Ottawa Elementary School (grades PK-5), and Neil E Reid High School (grades 9-12). The first two are part of Chippewa Valley Schools, while Neil E Reid operates under the Macomb Independent School District (Isd) as an alternative high school.
For parents, the standout traditional option is Algonquin Middle School, which holds a 3-star rating and has improved its state ranking for three straight years, now sitting in the 57th percentile. It outperforms state averages in 8th-grade social studies (57.2% proficient vs. 50.3%) and comes close in 8th-grade ELA. In contrast, Ottawa Elementary School is a 1-star school in the bottom 25th percentile, with math proficiency rates as low as 12.2% in 3rd grade compared to the state's 42.9%. Both schools struggle with chronic absenteeism (31.6% at Algonquin, 29.6% at Ottawa), above the state average of 27.9%. Neil E Reid High School faces extreme challenges, with an 81.3% chronic absenteeism rate, a 0% graduation rate, and an 83.3% dropout rate, though it spends a remarkable $79,527 per student with a 5.4:1 student-teacher ratio.
The most striking takeaway is the disparity within the same district: Algonquin and Ottawa are both in Chippewa Valley Schools, yet their outcomes differ dramatically, suggesting school-level leadership and student populations matter more than district policies. Additionally, the high spending at Neil E Reid does not translate into success, highlighting the deep non-academic barriers these students face. The data also hints at a pipeline of disengagement, where early struggles at Ottawa feed into higher absenteeism at Algonquin, potentially culminating in the severe outcomes at Neil E Reid. However, Algonquin's steady improvement offers a glimmer of hope for the community.
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