Summary:
Zip code 48768 is home to a single elementary school, Central School, which serves grades kindergarten through 5th grade with 366 students in the Vassar Public Schools district.
For parents considering this area, Central School presents a mixed picture. The school is ranked 997th out of 1,492 Michigan elementary schools, placing it in the 33rd percentile with a 2-star rating—a decline from its previous ranking of 882nd. Academically, the school struggles most notably in math, where proficiency rates drop sharply from 33.3% in 3rd grade to just 17.7% in 5th grade, far below state averages. Science (30.6% proficient) and social studies (14.5% proficient) also lag significantly behind state benchmarks. English Language Arts performance is somewhat better but still below state averages in most grades. However, there was a bright spot in the 2024-2025 school year when 4th graders achieved a 50% proficiency rate in ELA, exceeding the state average of 42.4%, showing the school is capable of above-average results. The school serves a high-need population, with 63.11% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.
One positive finding is that chronic absenteeism at Central School is 22.4%, which is better than both the district rate (28.7%) and the state rate (27.9%). The school also spends a substantial $16,461 per student, yet this funding does not appear to translate into strong academic outcomes, particularly in math. Test scores also show notable year-over-year volatility, such as 3rd-grade math proficiency jumping from 16.7% to 33.3% in one year, which may reflect small class sizes or inconsistent instructional approaches. Overall, parents should be aware that while attendance is solid and the school has demonstrated occasional academic success, consistent challenges in math and upper-grade subjects remain a concern.
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