Summary:
Zip code 48047, covering Chesterfield and New Baltimore, Michigan, is home to 6 elementary schools serving grades PK-4 or PK-5, with a total enrollment of roughly 2,497 students across the Anchor Bay School District (5 schools) and L'Anse Creuse Public Schools (1 school).
For parents, the standout choice is Great Oaks Elementary School, which leads the area academically with a top state ranking (247th out of 1,492) and the highest proficiency rates in nearly every subject—averaging 57.4% across 3rd and 4th grade ELA and math. It also has the lowest free/reduced lunch rate (18.2%) and the largest class sizes (18.1:1), yet still outperforms its peers. The most improved school is Dean A Naldrett School, which jumped nearly 100 spots in state rankings to 375th, boasts the lowest chronic absenteeism (9.3% vs. 27.9% statewide), and has the smallest class sizes (14.2:1) with the highest per-student spending ($17,461). In contrast, Lottie M Schmidt Elementary School is a concern, having dropped over 400 positions in state rankings to 747th, with 4th grade math proficiency at just 30% (vs. 39.4% statewide). Other schools like Ashley Elementary School (48.4% average proficiency) and Lighthouse Elementary School (39.8%) fall in between, while Green Elementary School trails at 35.5% average proficiency.
Key takeaways: spending does not predict success—Great Oaks spends the least ($14,084/student) yet achieves the best results, while Dean A Naldrett spends the most but ranks lower. Chronic absenteeism is remarkably low across all schools (9.3%–20.2%), indicating strong community engagement. Math is the biggest vulnerability, with several schools falling well below state averages in 4th grade math, while science scores are a relative strength (e.g., Great Oaks at 68.4% proficiency vs. 40.3% statewide). Three schools (Lighthouse, Ashley, and Lottie M Schmidt) show declining state rankings since 2023-2024, suggesting site-specific challenges within the otherwise solid Anchor Bay district.
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