Summary:
Zip code 48896 is home to a single public elementary school, Winn Elementary School, which serves grades Kindergarten through 5th grade with 224 students in the Shepherd, MI area as part of the Shepherd Public Schools district.
Winn Elementary School presents a mixed picture for parents. On the positive side, the school boasts a remarkably low chronic absenteeism rate of just 9.0%, compared to 22.9% for the district and 27.9% statewide, indicating strong attendance habits. The 4th grade class is a standout, with proficiency rates of 65.8% in English Language Arts and 60.5% in Math—roughly 24 and 21 points above state averages. However, this excellence is not consistent across all grades. The 5th grade shows significant weaknesses, particularly in Social Studies where only 10.6% of students are proficient, a staggering 17 points below the state average. This grade also experienced dramatic year-over-year declines in Math (from 75% to 46.8%), Science (67.9% to 38.3%), and Social Studies (57.1% to 10.6%), suggesting high volatility and a potentially weaker current cohort.
The school's overall state ranking has slipped from 4 stars (75th percentile) in 2024-2025 to 3 stars (64th percentile) in 2025-2026, a drop of 166 positions. With a moderate free/reduced lunch rate of 38.84%, the school generally outperforms state averages in most subjects and grades, though the 5th grade results and ranking decline are concerning. The school maintains a favorable 14.7:1 student-teacher ratio and spends $15,209 per student, indicating solid resources. For parents, this is a school with excellent attendance, pockets of strong performance, and a supportive environment, but one that needs targeted attention on 5th grade instruction, particularly in Social Studies, to ensure consistent success across all grade levels.
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