Summary:
In zip code 48312, there is exactly one middle school, Carleton Middle School, which serves grades 6 through 8 within the Warren Consolidated Schools district, enrolling 638 students in a community where over three-quarters of families qualify for economic support.
For parents considering this school, the most important takeaway is that Carleton Middle School shows a dramatic split between English and math achievement. While 8th-grade reading scores on the PSAT (61.5% proficient) are close to the state average, only 20.3% of 8th graders are proficient in math on the same test—a gap of over 40 points. This pattern continues on the M-Step, where 6th and 7th grade math proficiency (around 24-25%) trails state averages by 7-9 points, and 8th-grade science proficiency (23.5%) is far below the state's 39.2%. The school's overall state ranking has improved from the 33rd percentile to the 43rd percentile over three years, but it still sits in the bottom half of Michigan middle schools with a 2-star rating.
A major red flag is the chronic absenteeism rate of 40.5%, which is significantly higher than both the district (34.4%) and state (27.9%) averages—meaning two out of every five students miss substantial school days, likely hindering progress in cumulative subjects like math and science. Despite spending a substantial $18,795 per student, the school struggles to convert resources into STEM success, though ELA scores remain a relative strength. The 8th-grade science proficiency also declined from 27.1% to 23.5% year-over-year, suggesting a growing weakness. For parents, this school offers a supportive environment for reading but requires serious attention to math support, attendance improvement, and science intervention to help students reach their potential.
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