Summary:
Zip code 48455 is home to just one school, Emma Murphy Elementary School, a public school in the Lapeer Community Schools district serving grades K-4 with 374 students.
For parents considering this area, the single school option means all attention falls on Emma Murphy Elementary. The most pressing concern is a dramatic two-year decline in its state ranking, falling from the 76th percentile (4-star) in 2023-2024 to the 53rd percentile (3-star) in the latest 2025-2026 data. This drop appears driven by a sharp collapse in 3rd-grade test scores. In 2024-2025, 3rd graders posted strong results with 49.1% proficiency in ELA and 54.7% in Math, but the current 3rd grade class plummeted to just 24.4% in ELA and 31.7% in Math—well below district and state averages. This suggests a possible cohort-specific issue or a grade-level instructional challenge that warrants immediate investigation by school leadership.
However, the picture is not uniformly negative. The same 2025-2026 data shows 4th graders performing exceptionally well, with 52.7% proficiency in Math and 45.5% in ELA, significantly outpacing district and state averages. The school also beats its district on chronic absenteeism (19.5% vs. 31.1%) and serves a moderate level of economic disadvantage, with 31% of students on free/reduced lunch. One operational oddity stands out: the school spends a substantial $15,213 per student yet maintains a high student-teacher ratio of 20.7, suggesting funds may go toward specialized programs or resources rather than smaller class sizes. For parents, this means Emma Murphy offers strong upper-grade performance and better attendance than the district norm, but the volatile 3rd-grade results and declining overall ranking are critical factors to weigh when evaluating this school.
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