Summary:
Zip code 48873 is home to just one elementary school, PewamoWestphalia Elementary School, a small rural school serving 249 students in grades PK through 5 within the Pewamo-Westphalia Community Schools district.
This is a high-performing school that consistently beats state averages across most subjects and grade levels. In the most recent testing year, 3rd and 5th graders posted strong English language arts scores (56.1% and 59.3% proficient, respectively), while math proficiency was particularly impressive in 5th grade at 51.9% — nearly 20 points above the state average. The school also shines in 5th-grade social studies, where 44.4% of students are proficient versus just 27.5% statewide. The district itself ranks in the 90th percentile of Michigan districts and holds a 5-star rating. With a favorable 15:1 student-to-teacher ratio and per-student spending of $14,741, the school is well-resourced. Only about 28.5% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating a comparatively low-poverty population.
The main concern is a sharp drop in 4th-grade scores from the prior year — math proficiency fell from 77.8% to 48.1%, and ELA from 59.3% to 40.7%. This could reflect a particularly strong cohort moving up to 5th grade (where scores improved) or a weaker incoming group. Chronic absenteeism sits at 11.5%, which is less than half the state average of 27.9% but notably higher than the district’s 7.6%. Given the school’s small size, this difference represents only a handful of students. Overall, PewamoWestphalia Elementary is a strong choice for families, with excellent outcomes in upper elementary math and social studies, though the 4th-grade trend is worth monitoring in coming years.
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