Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 48429

Zip code 48429 in Durand, Michigan, is home to two elementary schools within the Durand Area Schools district, serving a combined 519 students from Pre-K through 5th grade in a split-elementary model where Bertha Neal School houses the youngest learners (PK-1) and Robert Kerr School serves grades 2-5.

For parents, the most important distinction is that Bertha Neal School offers a notably more personalized early-learning environment, with a student-teacher ratio of 10.5:1 and higher per-pupil spending ($16,965) compared to Robert Kerr School’s ratio of 16.2:1 and $14,204 per student. However, Bertha Neal has no standardized test data since state assessments begin in 3rd grade, so its academic performance cannot be directly measured. Robert Kerr School is the only school with test scores, and it shows a positive ranking trend, improving from the 30th to the 41st percentile over the past three years. In 2025-2026, its 3rd graders met or exceeded state averages in English Language Arts (40.2% vs. 38.2%), but proficiency drops in 4th and 5th grades, particularly in math, where 5th-grade proficiency is just 22.4% compared to the state’s 32.2%. Science scores are a bright spot, matching or exceeding state averages, while 5th-grade social studies is very weak at 17.6% proficiency.

Both schools serve a significant economically disadvantaged population, with roughly 56-59% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch. Chronic absenteeism is below the state average at both schools, though Bertha Neal’s rate (20.6%) is higher than Robert Kerr’s (17.8%), which is worth watching for such young students. The data suggests a potential “3rd-grade bubble” where early advantages from Bertha Neal’s small classes may not be sustained at Robert Kerr, especially in upper-grade math. Parents should view Robert Kerr School as the measurable academic driver of the district, while Bertha Neal School provides a strong foundational start, but the district may need to consider shifting resources toward intervention in grades 4 and 5 to close the achievement gaps.