Summary:
Zip code 48703 is home to just one middle school, Au Gres-Sims Middle School, which serves grades 6 through 8 with a small enrollment of 104 students in the Au Gres, Michigan area.
For parents considering this school, the standout finding is a remarkable strength in 8th-grade social studies, where 65.6% of students scored proficient in the most recent school year—a full 15.3 percentage points above the state average. The school also shines on the 8th-grade PSAT, beating state averages in both ELA (68.8% vs. 64.8%) and math (40.6% vs. 33.2%). However, performance is more mixed in other areas. While 7th-grade ELA exceeds the state average (42.3% vs. 38.4%), 6th-grade ELA (25.7% vs. 37.5%) and 6th-grade math (28.6% vs. 31.9%) lag behind. The school has shown a positive trajectory in its state ranking, improving from 391st to 330th over three years, suggesting recent gains are taking hold.
One of the most pressing concerns is chronic absenteeism, which sits at 33.6%—notably higher than both the district average (28.2%) and the state average (27.9%). This is especially important given that the school spends a substantial $13,788 per student, yet still struggles in several subjects. With nearly 60% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch, the school serves a predominantly low-income population. The small student body also means test scores can fluctuate significantly from year to year—for example, 6th-grade ELA proficiency dropped sharply from 40% to 25.7% in one year, while 8th-grade social studies jumped by 12.8 points. Parents should view single-year changes with some caution, as a single cohort can heavily influence results. Overall, Au Gres-Sims Middle School offers clear academic strengths in social studies and PSAT performance, but addressing attendance and supporting younger grades will be key to continued improvement within the Au Gres-Sims School District.
Thank you for your feedback!