Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 48811

Zip code 48811 is home to just one middle school, Carson CityCrystal Upper ElementaryMiddle School, which serves grades 4 through 8 and enrolls 262 students in the Carson City, Michigan area.

For parents considering this school, the most important takeaway is that it performs below state averages in most subjects, though there are a few bright spots. The strongest area is 4th grade math, where 44.8% of students are proficient—actually exceeding the state average of 39.4%. However, this advantage disappears by 5th grade, where math proficiency plummets to just 19.3%, a dramatic 25.5-point drop that far exceeds the typical state decline. English language arts scores are consistently below state averages across all grade levels, with 5th grade being the weakest at 31.6% proficiency compared to the state's 43.8%. The school also shows significant year-over-year volatility; for example, 8th grade social studies improved by 12.9 points while 8th grade PSAT math declined by 11.3 points. Perhaps most concerning for parents is the college readiness picture: only 13.7% of 8th graders are proficient in PSAT math versus 33.2% statewide, and PSAT ELA proficiency sits at 45.1% compared to 64.8% statewide.

The school operates within the Carson City-Crystal Area Schools district, which holds a 2-star rating and ranks in the 39th percentile statewide. Chronic absenteeism affects 31.5% of students, slightly above the state average of 27.9%, which likely hampers academic progress. Per-pupil spending is $13,782 with a student-to-teacher ratio of 17.8:1. Despite fluctuating test scores, the school's overall state ranking has remained stable over three years (559, 557, and 568 out of roughly 890 schools), suggesting its relative position among Michigan middle schools is consistent. With 54.2% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, the school serves a predominantly middle-income population, and since it is the only middle school in the district for these grades, any improvement efforts here would directly impact the district's overall standing.