Best High Schools in Zip Code 49021

Zip code 49021 is home to a single high school, Bellevue JrSr High School, which serves grades 7 through 12 within the Bellevue Community Schools district, offering a small, close-knit educational environment for its 281 students.

For parents, the most important takeaway is that this school shows a clear split between its strengths and challenges. The most positive academic news is in science, where 11th-grade proficiency (38.1%) actually beats the state average (35.2%). English Language Arts scores are also relatively solid, with 9th-grade PSAT scores (53.8%) coming close to the state mark. However, mathematics is a significant area of concern at every grade level. For example, only 10% of 7th graders and 15.4% of 8th graders are proficient in math, compared to state averages around 33%. This foundational weakness continues into high school, where only 16.3% of 11th graders are proficient in SAT math versus the state's 26.5%. The school also has a very low dropout rate of just 1.7% (state: 7.1%), and while its 4-year graduation rate of 82.4% is slightly below the state average, it indicates that students who stay are very likely to finish. A notable concern is that 24.5% of students are chronically absent, which can impact learning, though this is better than the state average of 27.9%.

One interesting dynamic is that the school's state ranking has been volatile, swinging from the 56th percentile to the 37th percentile in a single year. This is common for small schools where a single class can have an outsized effect on overall metrics. The district spends a substantial $16,539 per student, which is a significant investment, yet the math scores suggest the return on that investment is mixed. The stark contrast between strong science performance and weak math performance points to potentially effective teaching strategies in one department that could be studied and applied elsewhere. Overall, Bellevue JrSr High School offers a supportive environment with a very low dropout rate, but parents should be aware that their children may need extra support in mathematics to succeed.