Summary:
Zip code 48160, serving the community of Milan, Michigan, is home to five schools within the Milan Area Schools district, which together educate roughly 1,716 students across elementary through high school grades. The district overall earns a 3-star rating, ranking in the 66th percentile of Michigan districts, but performance varies significantly by school and grade level.
For families, the standout is Milan Middle School, which earned a 4-star rating in 2024-2025 and shows exceptional strength in 8th grade science, where 52.9% of students are proficient versus 39.2% statewide. Milan High School is the district's consistent performer, maintaining a 3-star rating for three straight years with a strong 91.9% graduation rate and a remarkably low 1.4% dropout rate. The elementary schools show promise too—Clayton H Symons Elementary School has improved its ranking each year, and 4th grade math proficiency there (49.6%) exceeds the state by over 10 points. However, Milan Alternative Education is a stark outlier, serving just 29 students with a 22.2% graduation rate and a 44.4% dropout rate, alongside the district's highest poverty rate at 62% free/reduced lunch.
Several red flags warrant attention. Milan High School reports a stunning 92.4% chronic absenteeism rate—over three times the state average—yet still graduates 91.9% of students, suggesting a possible data anomaly or unique attendance policy. Academically, the district shows a troubling pattern: elementary and middle school students exceed state averages in math and science, but by 11th grade, SAT math proficiency falls 7.6 points below the state (18.9% vs. 26.5%), and science drops from a 52.9% middle school proficiency to just 28% in high school. Meanwhile, Milan Alternative Education spends $27,829 per student—73% more than the middle school—yet has the highest student-teacher ratio (23.9:1), raising questions about resource allocation. Paddock Elementary School offers the most individualized attention with a 9.7:1 ratio, appropriate for its PK-1 grade span.
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