Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 48625

Zip code 48625 is home to just one elementary school, Robert M Larson Elementary School, which serves grades 1 through 5 and enrolls 582 students within the Harrison Community Schools district.

For parents, the most important takeaway is that this school faces significant academic challenges, particularly in math and upper elementary grades. The school ranks in the bottom 20% of Michigan elementary schools (1201 out of 1492) and holds a 1-star rating. Proficiency rates are well below state averages across all subjects. For example, only 12% of 4th and 5th graders are proficient in math, compared to state averages of 39.4% and 32.2%, respectively. Social studies is the weakest area, with just 9.1% proficiency versus the state's 27.5%. A notable pattern is the "3rd grade peak"—students perform closest to state averages in 3rd grade, but scores drop sharply by 4th and 5th grades, suggesting a cumulative learning gap or difficulty transitioning to more complex material.

Context matters here: 83% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating a high-poverty population, and the chronic absenteeism rate is 30.8%, above the state average of 27.9%. On the positive side, the school spends a substantial $17,364 per student and maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 15.9:1. However, these resources have not translated into higher test scores, highlighting the difficulty of overcoming poverty-related barriers. Since this is the only elementary school in the district, its performance directly reflects the district's elementary strategy. Parents should be aware that while 5th grade ELA showed a decline from 29.9% to 20% year-over-year, the school's consistent low performance in math and upper grades points to critical areas needing targeted intervention and support.