Summary:
Zip code 48074 is home to just one elementary school, Indian Woods Elementary School, which serves students in grades PK-5 within the Port Huron Area School District.
For parents considering this area, Indian Woods Elementary is a school of contrasts. On the positive side, the school has a strong attendance record, with a chronic absenteeism rate of 24.1% that is significantly better than the district average of 34.6%. It also shows a notable strength in early math: 3rd-grade math proficiency reached 35.6% in the most recent school year, outperforming the district average by 7.7 percentage points. However, the overall academic picture is concerning. Proficiency rates in English Language Arts, math, science, and social studies all fall below state averages across every grade level. The school’s state ranking has also declined over the past three years, dropping from the 34th percentile to the 24th percentile. Perhaps the most alarming trend is the sharp drop in performance as students advance: 3rd-grade math proficiency of 35.6% plummets to just 16.7% by 5th grade, and 5th-grade scores saw the largest year-over-year declines in all subjects, including a drop in social studies from 21% to 13%.
Financially, the school spends a substantial $16,426 per student, which is a high level of investment, yet this has not translated into top-tier academic results. With 56.3% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch, the school serves a majority low-income population, which may explain some of the spending needs. The mixed year-over-year progress—strong gains in 3rd grade but significant losses in 5th grade—suggests that while early intervention may be working, the upper elementary grades need targeted support. For parents, this school offers a caring environment with good attendance, but they should be aware of the academic challenges, particularly for older elementary students, and consider how the school’s resources are being used to address these gaps.
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