Summary:
Zip code 48187 in Canton, Michigan, is served by 14 schools—nine elementary schools, one middle school, and four high schools—that collectively educate over 10,000 students across the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools district and three charter institutions.
Families in this area have access to exceptionally strong high school options. Plymouth High School leads the pack with a 96th percentile state ranking, followed closely by Salem High School and Canton High School, which all outperform state averages by 20-30 percentage points in nearly every subject. Graduation rates at these three schools range from 94.9% to 97.5%, far exceeding the state average of 84%. Canton Preparatory High School, a charter serving a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students, has shown dramatic improvement—jumping 110 spots in state rankings—but still trails traditional high schools in math proficiency (31.1% vs. roughly 54%). At the elementary level, Canton Charter Academy stands out as the top-ranked elementary institution (86th percentile), while Gallimore Elementary School posts extraordinary 5th grade science (97.7%) and social studies (93.8%) proficiency rates despite limited recent data.
The most significant concern is Discovery Middle School, where proficiency rates in 6th-8th grade subjects run 15-20 percentage points below district averages—a pattern suggesting a difficult transition from elementary school. Several elementary schools also show declining performance, with Hulsing Elementary School experiencing the sharpest drop (5th grade ELA fell from 52.6% to 29.1% in one year) and now holding the area's only 2-star rating. Chronic absenteeism emerges as a clear warning indicator: Tonda Elementary School and Gallimore both report just 8.2% chronic absenteeism and rank among the top performers, while Hulsing (24.8%) and Canton Prep (30.5%) struggle academically. Notably, Dodson Elementary School spends the most per student ($18,722) yet achieves similar outcomes to Canton Charter Academy, which spends just $12,166—suggesting resource efficiency varies widely across governance models.
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