Schools in Zip Code 48661

Zip code 48661, serving the West Branch and Rose City areas of Michigan, is home to 5 schools—two elementary schools, one middle school, and two high schools—that together educate approximately 1,972 students across two districts: West Branch-Rose City Area Schools and Alternative Educational Academy of Ogemaw County.

For parents, the standout story here is Rose City School, the smallest school in the area with just 103 students. Despite having the highest poverty rate (82.5% free/reduced lunch), it posts remarkable academic results: 82.4% of 3rd graders are proficient in math (nearly double the state average) and 70.6% are proficient in ELA, far outpacing the much larger Surline Elementary School. Rose City benefits from an 11.1:1 student-teacher ratio and spends $23,256 per student—70% more than the district average—suggesting intensive resources can overcome socioeconomic challenges. At the secondary level, Ogemaw Heights High School shines with a 93.6% graduation rate and only a 2.8% dropout rate, both significantly better than state averages. However, Surline Middle School shows mixed results, with strong 8th-grade ELA scores (65.2%) but persistent math struggles.

The most concerning data comes from Alternative Educational Academy of Ogemaw County, which posts a 27.5% graduation rate, a 32.5% dropout rate, and 62.1% chronic absenteeism—all far worse than state averages. This school also spends less per student ($13,092) than Ogemaw Heights High School ($13,884), despite serving students who likely need more support. Across the district, mathematics is a clear weakness: 11th-grade SAT math proficiency is just 15.9% versus the 26.5% state average, and similar gaps appear at every grade level. Meanwhile, Rose City School showed dramatic year-over-year improvement (3rd-grade math jumped 42 points), suggesting recent interventions are working. The West Branch-Rose City Area Schools district has improved its state ranking from the 33rd to 60th percentile in two years, though the Alternative Academy remains in the bottom 13% of Michigan high schools.