Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 48843

Zip code 48843 is home to just one middle school, Highlander Way Middle School, which serves grades 6-8 and is part of the Howell Public Schools district, an area with a relatively low poverty rate (23% free/reduced lunch) and above-average per-student spending of $15,464.

For parents, the most important takeaway is that Highlander Way Middle School shows a striking split in academic performance. The school’s 8th graders are a clear strength, outperforming state averages in PSAT English Language Arts (69.6% vs. 64.8%), PSAT math (36.8% vs. 33.2%), science (45.6% vs. 39.2%), and especially social studies (55.8% vs. 50.3%). However, 6th graders struggle significantly, particularly in ELA where proficiency dropped nearly 10 points to 31.3%—well below the state’s 37.5%. This creates a 38-point gap between 6th-grade and 8th-grade ELA scores, suggesting either strong skill growth as students advance or that the different test formats (M-Step vs. PSAT) measure different abilities. Math is more consistent, with the school slightly exceeding state averages in all three grade levels.

One concern is chronic absenteeism, which sits at 31.5%—3.6 points above the state average and nearly matching the district rate, despite the school’s relatively affluent student body. This high absenteeism may be contributing to the 6th-grade ELA decline and raises questions about how effectively the school’s substantial resources are being used to address attendance and literacy. Overall, the school’s ranking has remained stable in the 67-68th percentile over three years, and it outperforms its district in 7th-grade ELA, 8th-grade science, and social studies, while lagging in 6th-grade ELA and 8th-grade PSAT ELA. Parents should weigh the strong 8th-grade results against the early-grade challenges and the absenteeism issue when considering this school.