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Best Public Schools in Zip Code 48348

New rankings! SchoolDigger recently updated its Michigan rankings with newly released test scores for the 2025-26 school year.

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At a glance

Schools

1,463

Students

5-star schools

Top rankedSpringfield Plains Elementary School87^th of 1,492 Michigan elementary schools

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Biggest riser

Springfield Plains Elementary School up 54 spots statewide this year

See the top-ranked Michigan schools →

Summary:

Zip code 48348 in Clarkston, Michigan, is served by three highly-rated elementary schools within the Clarkston Community School District, which collectively enroll about 1,463 students in grades K-5 (with two schools offering Pre-K), and there are no middle or high schools located directly in this zip code.

For parents, this area offers exceptional elementary options, with all three schools dramatically outperforming Michigan state averages. Springfield Plains Elementary School is the current frontrunner, ranking 87th statewide (94th percentile, 5 stars) after climbing from 184th just two years ago. Its 5th-grade science proficiency of 82% is more than double the state average and 19 points above the district. Bailey Lake Elementary School is the most consistent performer, maintaining 5-star status with rankings between 103rd and 132nd over three years, and it posts the strongest early-grade math scores (74.7% in 3rd grade and 74.6% in 4th grade). Independence Elementary School is the most volatile—it ranked as high as 103rd in 2024-2025 but fell to 218th in 2025-2026—yet it posted the highest 5th-grade social studies score (70.3%) in the prior year. All three schools share remarkably low chronic absenteeism (8.6% to 10.7% versus the state's 27.9%) and very low economic disadvantage (only 11-12% free/reduced lunch eligibility).

One notable pattern is a consistent "5th-grade math dip," where proficiency drops sharply from 4th to 5th grade across all schools—Bailey Lake falls from 74.6% to 52%. Year-to-year swings, such as Independence's 3rd-grade ELA dropping 27 points, suggest cohort sensitivity rather than systemic issues. Interestingly, Springfield Plains spends the least per student ($16,929) yet achieves the highest ranking, while Independence spends the most ($17,716) and ranks lowest, indicating that factors like teaching quality and school culture matter more than spending. Families choosing among these schools will find excellent options, with the main differentiators being specific grade-level strengths and each school's unique culture.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				M-Step English Language Arts (2026)			M-Step Math (2026)			M-Step Science (2026)	M-Step Social Studies (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	M-Step English Language Arts 3rd Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 4th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 5th Grade	M-Step Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th Grade	M-Step Science 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Springfield Plains Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	8650 Holcomb Rd	Clarkston	48348	Oakland County	Clarkston Community School District	No	No	No	No	(248) 623-3800	495	32	15.4	11.5%	429 (86.7%)	6 (1.2%)	33 (6.7%)	11 (2.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.0%)	92.9	87^th of 1492 public elementary schools	94.2%		88.7	141^st of 1488 public elementary schools	90.5%	54	65.5	55.3	74.2	70.1	64.5	65.2	82.0	60.7	$16,929	$827	$16,102
Independence Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6850 Hubbard Rd	Clarkston	48348	Oakland County	Clarkston Community School District	No	No	No	No	(248) 623-5500	446	30	14.9	11.4%	397 (89.0%)	7 (1.6%)	22 (4.9%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.4%)	84	218^th of 1492 public elementary schools	85.4%		91.3	103^rd of 1488 public elementary schools	93.1%	115	40.0	64.8	67.1	63.1	60.6	44.7	65.8	57.9	$17,716	$895	$16,821
Bailey Lake Elementary School	Public	K-5	8051 Pine Knob Rd	Clarkston	48348	Oakland County	Clarkston Community School District	No	No	No	No	(248) 623-5300	522	37	14.1	12.1%	450 (86.2%)	6 (1.1%)	40 (7.7%)	9 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.3%)	91.9	103^rd of 1492 public elementary schools	93.1%		89.4	132^nd of 1488 public elementary schools	91.1%	29	70.3	65.7	69.3	74.7	74.6	52.0	64.4	49.5	$17,132	$795	$16,337

Cities Near Zip Code 48348

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Clarkston	1.23 mi	14	53^rd
Waterford	4.53 mi	23	345^th
Ortonville	4.56 mi	6	207^th
Lake Orion	4.64 mi	11	76^th
Davisburg	5.32 mi	2	130^th

See the top MI Michigan cities

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Michigan Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.