Summary:
Zip code 48891 is home to just one elementary school, Vestaburg Community Elementary School, which serves grades PK-5 within the Vestaburg Community Schools district, enrolling 247 students in a rural Michigan setting.
For parents considering this school, the most striking takeaway is a paradox between resources and results. The school spends a substantial $17,109 per student and maintains a low student-teacher ratio of 11.4, both of which typically signal strong support. However, its overall state ranking sits in the 24th percentile (475th out of 625 districts), and academic performance is mixed. The school shows a clear strength in 5th-grade Science, where 54.3% of students were proficient in 2024-2025, beating the state average by 14 points. In contrast, English Language Arts (ELA) is a significant weakness—5th-grade proficiency fell to just 24.2% in 2025-2026, nearly 20 points below the state average. Math tells a similar story, with proficiency dropping from 40% to 18.2% in just one year, a dramatic 21.8-point decline that warrants attention from any parent.
On a more positive note, chronic absenteeism at the school is just 16.3%, less than half the district's rate of 32.9% and well below the state average of 27.9%, indicating strong daily attendance. Nearly 48% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, reflecting a significant low-income population that may require additional academic support. The school's ranking has also slipped from the 48th percentile in 2024-2025 to the 43rd percentile in 2025-2026. While the high spending and small class sizes are encouraging, the sharp year-over-year declines in core subjects suggest that current instructional strategies may not be effectively meeting student needs, making it essential for parents to ask about curriculum changes and support programs.
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