Best Public Schools in Zip Code 48367

Zip code 48367 in Leonard, Michigan, is home to two elementary schools serving grades K-5—HamiltonParsons Elementary School and Leonard Elementary School—which together educate roughly 739 students across two different districts, with no middle or high schools located directly in the area.

For parents, the most important takeaway is that these two schools offer vastly different academic experiences despite being in the same zip code. HamiltonParsons Elementary School, part of Romeo Community Schools, is the clear standout. It consistently earns 4-star ratings, ranks in the 70th-78th percentile statewide, and outperforms both its district and state averages in nearly every subject. For example, in 5th-grade math, 44.2% of HamiltonParsons students are proficient compared to just 9.76% at Leonard Elementary School. HamiltonParsons also has a lower rate of economic disadvantage (15.66% free/reduced lunch) and achieves these results with a higher student-teacher ratio (18.2:1) and significantly lower per-student spending ($11,969). In contrast, Leonard Elementary School, under Oxford Community Schools, earns only 2-star ratings, ranks in the 31st-39th percentile, and falls below state averages in most subjects—especially math, where the gap widens from 9 points in 3rd grade to over 34 points by 5th grade. Leonard spends nearly double per student ($21,704) yet sees weaker outcomes, and its free/reduced lunch rate (29.88%) is nearly double that of HamiltonParsons.

One surprising similarity is chronic absenteeism: both schools report around 14.5%, far better than the state average of 27.9%. Leonard does outperform HamiltonParsons in 5th-grade social studies (24.4% vs. 22.1%), though both trail the state. For parents, HamiltonParsons offers a proven track record of academic excellence and resource efficiency, while Leonard—despite higher funding—shows a concerning, compounding math deficit that warrants attention from Oxford Community Schools.