Summary:
Zip code 49028 in Bronson, Michigan, is served by two elementary schools within the Bronson Community School District, which together educate roughly 433 students in grades K-5 across a unique grade-span configuration.
These two schools function as a pipeline, with Anderson Elementary School housing grades K-2 and Ryan Elementary School serving grades 3-5. Because standardized testing begins in 3rd grade, only Ryan has academic performance data, making it the primary benchmark for the community. Ryan’s math proficiency is a significant concern, with 3rd and 4th grade scores dropping by roughly 9-10 percentage points year-over-year to just 31.4% and 26.9% respectively—well below state averages. However, Ryan shows notable strengths: its 3rd grade ELA proficiency (38.6%) slightly exceeds the state average, and its chronic absenteeism rate of 13.4% is less than half the state average, a remarkable achievement given that over 70% of students at both schools qualify for free/reduced lunch. Anderson, while lacking test data, has a higher student-teacher ratio (14.8:1) yet spends $1,231 more per student than Ryan, suggesting additional resources for younger learners. Anderson also has a higher chronic absenteeism rate (19.4%), though still below state levels.
For parents, the key takeaway is that this district performs near state averages in several subjects despite high poverty levels, but math is a critical weakness that appears to worsen as students progress. The K-2/3-5 split creates a data gap, meaning early learning challenges may go undetected until 3rd grade. Ryan’s 5th grade social studies improved dramatically (up 6.5 points), and its overall district ranking has plateaued around the 42nd percentile after improving from the 33rd percentile two years ago. Families should note that while both schools share the same district, Ryan offers a more favorable student-teacher ratio and better attendance outcomes, making it the stronger performer on available metrics.
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