Schools in Zip Code 48509

The six schools serving zip code 48509 in Burton, Michigan, span three districts—Kearsley Community School District, Bentley Community School District, and Flex High School of Michigan—and collectively enroll about 1,322 students from early elementary through high school, with every school reporting free/reduced lunch rates above 60%, indicating a uniformly high-poverty community.

For parents, the standout traditional option is Bentley Senior High School, which posts an 86.2% graduation rate—above the state average of 84%—and a dropout rate of just 3.4%, far better than the 7.1% statewide figure. In contrast, the alternative schools in the area show extreme disparities: Flex High Burton spends a staggering $63,706 per student (nearly four times more than any other school here) yet graduates only 9% of its students, while Bentley High School BOLD Academy operates on just $5,187 per student with an 83.3:1 student-teacher ratio and still achieves a 33.3% graduation rate. Among younger students, Weston Elementary School serves the highest-need population (81.58% free/reduced lunch) but only covers grades PK-1, while Barhitte Elementary School shows weak math proficiency, with 5th grade math at just 5.88% versus the state's 32.2%. Bentley Middle School exhibits volatile year-over-year results, including 8th grade science proficiency dropping from 39.1% to 10.9% in one year, likely due to small cohort sizes.

Chronic absenteeism is a hidden crisis here, with rates of 32–40% at traditional schools—meaning roughly one in three students misses significant instructional time—though Flex High Burton reports a surprisingly low 17.4% rate, possibly reflecting its transient population. Across every subject and grade level, proficiency rates fall 15–30 points below state averages, pointing to systemic community challenges rather than isolated school issues. The 53-point graduation gap between Bentley Senior High and BOLD Academy within the same district underscores how alternative programs serve fundamentally different student populations, making direct comparisons difficult for parents weighing options.