Summary:
Zip code 48819 is home to a single elementary school, Dansville Elementary School, which serves grades PK-5 within the Dansville Schools district, enrolling 341 students in a moderately sized, close-knit setting.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that this school offers a stable, well-attended environment with a favorable 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio and notably low chronic absenteeism at 12.8%—less than half the state average of 27.9%. The student body is also relatively economically stable, with only 28.74% qualifying for free/reduced lunch. However, academic performance is inconsistent across grades and subjects. The strongest current showing is in 4th grade, where students exceed state averages in both English Language Arts (50% vs. 41.3%) and Math (44.8% vs. 39.4%). Fifth grade social studies also beats the state (30.1% vs. 27.5%). The most urgent concern is 5th grade math, where only 17.8% of students are proficient versus a 32.2% state average, and this has declined from the prior year. Additionally, 3rd grade ELA scores plummeted from 67.9% to 32.0% in one year, now trailing the state average—a dramatic swing that suggests a challenging cohort or instructional shift rather than a systemic issue.
Overall, the school ranks near the middle of Michigan schools, fluctuating between the 40th and 50th percentiles over the past three years, with a current 2-star rating. Given the low poverty rate, strong attendance, and per-student spending of $12,925, the resources are in place for better results. The inconsistency—where 4th grade thrives but 5th grade math lags—points to a need for better curriculum alignment across grade levels. Families should view this as a school with a solid foundation and engaged students, but one where targeted academic support, especially in upper-grade math and early literacy, is essential to unlock its full potential.
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