Summary:
Zip code 48879 (Saint Johns, MI) is home to four elementary schools—Gateway Elementary School, Oakview Elementary School, Riley Elementary School, and Eureka School—all part of the St. Johns Public Schools district, serving grades PK through 5 with enrollments ranging from 114 to 320 students.
For parents, the standout choice academically is Oakview Elementary School, which holds the highest state ranking (271st out of 1488) and a 4-star rating. Its test scores consistently beat district and state averages, especially in 5th-grade Science (65.1% proficient vs. 40% statewide). Riley Elementary School shines in early grades—posting an incredible 84% proficiency in 4th-grade Math—but suffers a dramatic drop-off by 5th grade, where Math proficiency falls to just 28.8%. Eureka School is the smallest and most resource-rich (spending $18,299 per student, 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio) with the best attendance (11.2% chronic absenteeism), yet it has the lowest test scores of the four. Gateway Elementary School lacks recent ranking data but shows a red flag: a 27.4% chronic absenteeism rate, nearly matching the state average and far above the district’s 16.7%.
Key takeaways: Higher spending and smaller classes at Eureka School do not translate into higher achievement, suggesting other factors matter more. The “Riley Rollercoaster” between 4th and 5th grade warrants district investigation. Oakview Elementary School proves that moderate poverty (37% free/reduced lunch) doesn’t prevent top performance, while Gateway Elementary School’s high poverty (45.6%) and attendance issues likely hinder its students. District-wide, 5th-grade Science is a relative strength, with all reporting schools beating the state average.
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