Summary:
Zip code 48626 in Hemlock, MI is home to two elementary schools within the highly-rated Hemlock Public School District, serving students from Pre-Kindergarten through 4th grade in a suburban/rural setting.
For parents, the standout school academically is KC Ling Elementary School, which serves grades 1-4 and consistently outperforms state averages in both English Language Arts and Math. In the most recent school year, 3rd graders scored 52.5% proficient in Math versus the state's 42.9%, and 4th graders hit 45.5% in ELA compared to the state's 41.3%. The school also boasts an exceptionally low chronic absenteeism rate of just 7.4%, indicating strong student engagement. Meanwhile, Hemlock Elementary School focuses on the earliest learners (Pre-K through Kindergarten) and offers a more personalized environment with a student-teacher ratio of 11.8:1 compared to KC Ling's 17.2:1. Hemlock Elementary also spends more per student ($14,382 vs. $13,251), reflecting a strategic investment in early childhood education that appears to pay off as students transition to KC Ling.
Both schools have similar socioeconomic profiles, with roughly 30-33% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch. Chronic absenteeism at Hemlock Elementary (12.2%) is higher than KC Ling's but still less than half the state average of 27.9%. One notable trend for parents to watch is a consistent dip in 4th-grade Math proficiency at KC Ling—dropping from 52.5% in 3rd grade to 40.6% in 4th grade—a pattern seen in consecutive years that may signal a curriculum transition challenge. Overall, the district's 4-star rating and the stable, above-average test scores at KC Ling suggest a reliable pipeline from early education through upper elementary, making this a solid choice for families seeking strong foundational academics in a supportive environment.
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