Best Public Schools in Zip Code 48324

ZIP code 48324, serving the West Bloomfield and Orchard Lake area of Michigan, is home to four elementary schools—Scotch Elementary School, Keith Elementary School, Sheiko Elementary School, and Gretchko Elementary School—that collectively serve 1,963 students in grades PK/K through 5, with no middle or high schools in the immediate area.

Scotch Elementary School is the clear standout, ranking in the 97th percentile statewide (5 stars) and dramatically improving from the 69th percentile just two years prior. Its ELA and math proficiency rates (74.8% in both) are roughly double the state averages and far exceed its district peers. Notably, Scotch achieves these results despite having the largest class sizes (16.8:1) and the lowest per-student spending ($15,363) among the four schools. In contrast, Sheiko Elementary School struggles, ranking in the 47th percentile (2 stars) with proficiency rates (36.2% ELA, 34.3% math) well below district and state averages, despite spending the most per student ($17,323) and having the smallest class sizes. Keith Elementary School offers consistent 4-star performance (75th percentile), while Gretchko Elementary School shows positive momentum, improving to the 72nd percentile (4 stars).

Chronic absenteeism strongly tracks with performance: Keith (11.5%) and Scotch (12.8%) have the lowest rates and highest achievement, while Sheiko (22.3%) has nearly double the absenteeism and the weakest results. All four schools outperform their respective district averages on absenteeism. A concerning trend is that math proficiency declines across all schools from 3rd to 5th grade, with Scotch dropping from 80.2% to 66% and Sheiko from 39.5% to 29.6%. The wide disparity within the West Bloomfield School District—where Scotch outperforms Sheiko by 50 percentile points despite sharing the same administration and resources—highlights that school-level leadership and culture, not district policies or spending, are the primary drivers of success. For families, Scotch is the top choice academically, while Keith offers reliable performance, and the data suggests that school-specific factors matter far more than class size or budget.