Summary:
Zip code 48327 in Waterford, MI is home to four elementary schools—Haviland Elementary School, Beaumont Elementary School, Riverside Elementary School, and Knudsen Elementary School—all part of the Waterford School District. These schools serve grades PK or K through 5th, with enrollments between 278 and 308 students, and all serve predominantly low-income populations with free/reduced lunch rates ranging from 57% to 65%.
Haviland Elementary School is the clear standout, ranking in the 68th percentile statewide (3 stars) and showing a remarkable 20-point improvement over three years. Its 4th grade proficiency rates are exceptional—65.8% in English Language Arts and 57.9% in Math, both far exceeding state averages. Haviland also ties for the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (14.6%) and has the lowest poverty rate in the group. At the other end, Riverside Elementary School struggles significantly, ranking in the 26th percentile (1 star) with chronic absenteeism at 26.6%—nearly double its sister schools—and test scores lagging far behind district and state averages across all subjects. Beaumont Elementary School (49th percentile) and Knudsen Elementary School (46th percentile) sit in the middle, both earning 2 stars.
A striking finding is the funding paradox: Riverside receives the highest per-student spending ($21,553) yet produces the weakest outcomes, while Beaumont spends the least ($17,439) and outperforms Riverside substantially. Chronic absenteeism appears to be a strong predictor of success—the three higher-performing schools all have rates around 13-15%, while Riverside's 26.6% correlates with its poor academics. Across all schools, 5th grade math is a notable weakness, with three of four schools falling below the state average, and social studies scores are universally low, ranging from just 7% at Knudsen to 33.3% at Haviland. For parents, these patterns suggest that attendance and school culture may matter more than spending levels when choosing among these schools.
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