Summary:
Zip code 48179, serving the South Rockwood, MI area, is home to just one elementary school, Fred W Ritter Elementary School, which serves grades PK through 4th grade within the Airport Community Schools district.
For parents considering this area, the single school option presents a clear picture of both challenges and a few bright spots. Fred W Ritter Elementary is currently a low-performing school, earning a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for the 2025-2026 school year, a drop from its previous 2-star ratings. Academic proficiency rates are well below state averages across all subjects and grades. For example, 4th-grade math proficiency sits at just 16.7%, compared to the state average of 39.4%, and 3rd-grade English Language Arts proficiency is 19.1% versus the state's 38.2%. The school also trails its own district significantly; in 4th-grade math, the district proficiency rate is 42.1%, more than double the school's rate. This suggests the struggles are specific to this school's student population or instructional environment, not a district-wide issue.
Despite the academic challenges, there are some notable points. The school spends a substantial $14,626 per student, which is likely elevated due to the high percentage of students (69.43%) qualifying for free or reduced lunch. However, this funding is not translating into academic success. On a more positive note, the chronic absenteeism rate of 22.0% is actually better than both the district (26.0%) and state (27.9%) averages, indicating that students are attending school regularly. The most alarming trend is the dramatic decline in 4th-grade math proficiency, which dropped by 14.1 percentage points from the previous year, and the school's overall downward trajectory in state ranking (from 976th to 1135th out of roughly 1,490 schools). This suggests that while attendance is a strength, the school is facing worsening academic challenges that require urgent and targeted intervention.
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