Summary:
Zip code 48473, encompassing the Swartz Creek area, is served by 8 public schools spanning grades PK-12, including five elementary schools, one middle school, and two high schools, with most belonging to Swartz Creek Community Schools and one elementary school belonging to Carman-Ainsworth Community Schools.
For parents, the standout school in this area is Rankin Elementary School, which posts exceptional 3rd-grade proficiency rates of 70.3% in ELA and 75.7% in math—more than double the state average—despite serving the highest percentage of students eligible for free/reduced lunch (84.4%) and having the lowest student-teacher ratio (13.2). However, this early success does not hold, as Rankin's 5th-grade math proficiency drops dramatically to 24.6%. Among traditional secondary schools, Swartz Creek High School is the strongest performer, with a 95.5% graduation rate and a low 2.4% dropout rate, though its SAT math proficiency is just 19%. In contrast, Swartz Creek Virtual Learning Center faces severe challenges, with a 56.1% chronic absenteeism rate, a 30% dropout rate, and only 58% graduation, making it a distinctly different option for at-risk students.
Across the district, math is a consistent weakness at every grade level, with proficiency rates running 10-15 points below state averages, while 5th-grade science scores at Dieck Elementary School (42.7%) actually exceed the state average. Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide concern, averaging 27.9%, but varies from 21.3% at Elms Road Elementary School to the virtual school's high. The district's overall rank (31st percentile) masks significant variation, with Dieck Elementary and Rankin Elementary outperforming the district average while Elms Road Elementary and the virtual center lag behind. Per-student spending ranges from $12,133 at the virtual center to $17,884 at Rankin, reflecting the higher needs and lower class sizes at Rankin.
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