Summary:
Zip code 48416 is home to just one elementary school, Brown City Elementary School, a small rural school serving 362 students in grades Pre-K through 6 as part of the Brown City Community Schools district.
Because this is the only elementary school in the area, all local results reflect this single school’s performance. The school shows a clear strength in early-grade math, with 3rd graders hitting 61% proficiency and 4th graders at 53.7%—both well above state averages. Fourth grade is the standout year overall, with ELA proficiency at 57.5% (16 points above the state) and math at 53.7% (14 points above). However, performance drops noticeably by 6th grade, where math proficiency falls to 23.8% and ELA to 31.0%, both below state levels. This pattern suggests strong instruction in the primary grades that doesn’t fully carry into upper elementary. The school also exceeds the state in 5th grade social studies (32% vs. 27.5%).
On the positive side, chronic absenteeism is just 16.8%—far better than the state’s 27.9%—which points to solid family engagement despite 62% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. The school spends a generous $15,494 per student and maintains a favorable 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio. The district itself ranks 286th out of 625 in Michigan (54th percentile) with a 3-star rating, though the school’s state ranking has slipped slightly over the past three years. For parents, the key takeaway is that Brown City Elementary excels in early grades—especially math—but families should watch how their child transitions into 5th and 6th grade, where scores trend downward and may require extra support.
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