Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 48429

Middle Schools in zip code 48429 consist of a single institution, Durand Middle School, part of the Durand Area Schools district, serving grades 6 through 8 with an enrollment of 304 students in a small-town Michigan setting.

For parents considering this area, Durand Middle School presents a mixed picture. The school has seen a steady decline in its state ranking, dropping from 442nd (51st percentile) in 2023-24 to 552nd (38th percentile) in 2025-26, which aligns with test scores that consistently fall below state averages in most subjects. In the 2025-26 school year, 6th and 7th grade proficiency gaps are particularly wide, with 7th grade ELA at 25.2% versus the state's 38.4% and 7th grade math at 20.7% versus 33.3%. However, there are notable bright spots. The 8th grade cohort performs nearly on par with the state on the PSAT, with ELA at 62.5% (state: 64.8%) and math at 31.3% (state: 33.2%), suggesting students may catch up by their final year. Additionally, 6th grade ELA proficiency jumped dramatically from 16.5% to 28.1% year-over-year, indicating possible successful interventions. The school also has a lower chronic absenteeism rate (23.5%) than the state average (27.9%), though its student-teacher ratio of 18.5 is relatively high.

One area of concern is the volatility in 8th grade science scores, which fell from above the state average (42.3% vs. 41.1%) in 2024-25 to well below it (27.5% vs. 39.2%) in 2025-26—a 14.8-point drop that warrants investigation. With per-student spending at $13,092, the school invests substantial resources, yet outcomes remain below expectations, suggesting the district may need to review how funds are allocated. About half of the students (50.33%) qualify for free or reduced lunch, reflecting economic challenges in the community. While the overall trend is concerning, the strong 8th grade PSAT performance and the 6th grade ELA improvement offer hope that targeted efforts can reverse the decline, making this a school worth watching closely for families who value academic growth potential.