Summary:
Zip code 48917 in the Lansing, Michigan area is served by two middle-level schools within the Waverly Community Schools district, together educating roughly 880 students in grades 5 through 8.
For parents comparing the two schools, East Intermediate School (grades 5-6) currently shows more positive momentum. It improved in five of six tested areas year-over-year, including dramatic gains in 5th-grade science (+11.6 points) and math (+7.7 points). It also has a more favorable student-teacher ratio (15.3:1) and lower chronic absenteeism (32.3%) than its counterpart. In contrast, Waverly Middle School (grades 7-8) faces steeper challenges, particularly with a 45.9% chronic absenteeism rate—well above the state average—and a critical math deficiency, with only 8.9% of 8th graders proficient on the PSAT math section. While Waverly Middle spends more per student ($15,922 vs. $14,993), its academic outcomes lag behind East Intermediate in most comparable areas.
Both schools trail state averages across nearly all subjects, reflecting the district's 1-star rating. However, a few bright spots exist: Waverly Middle showed a notable 9.5-point improvement in 8th-grade social studies, and its students scored relatively well on PSAT ELA (53.5% proficient). A concerning trend is the "middle school slide" in ELA, with proficiency dropping from 32.4% in 5th grade to 21.1% in 7th grade. Parents should note that East Intermediate, despite having a higher poverty rate (61.31% free/reduced lunch), is outperforming Waverly Middle in several metrics, suggesting that the lower student-teacher ratio and recent instructional changes may be making a difference. For families with students approaching 7th grade, the sharp rise in absenteeism and decline in math proficiency at Waverly Middle are important factors to consider when planning for the transition.
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