Best Public Schools in Zip Code 49040

ZIP code 49040 in Colon, Michigan, is served by three small, rural schools within the Colon Community School District, which together enroll about 529 students across grades K-12.

For parents, the standout academic performer is Colon High School, which serves grades 6-12 and is the only secondary option. Despite overall proficiency lagging state averages in most subjects, its 11th graders actually beat the state in science (38.5% vs. 35.2%) and social studies (44.4% vs. 43.2%), and its 8th graders exceed state averages in both ELA (66.7% vs. 64.8%) and science (40.6% vs. 39.2%). The high school also posts a strong 91.1% graduation rate versus the 84% state average, with a dropout rate under half the state’s. However, math is a serious weakness—only 7.32% of 10th graders and 6.67% of 9th graders are proficient, compared to roughly 32% statewide. Chronic absenteeism at the high school (36.3%) is also well above the state norm. Colon Elementary School (grades K-8) is the largest elementary option, but it ranks in the bottom quintile of Michigan schools and shows volatile year-to-year scores, such as 3rd-grade math dropping from 32.4% to 17.1% proficiency. It also has the highest per-student spending ($16,379) and the highest free/reduced lunch rate (60.5%). Leonidas School, with just 35 students (grades K-8), is the efficiency standout—spending only $9,269 per student with the lowest poverty rate (20% free/reduced lunch) and the highest student-teacher ratio (17.5:1).

Overall, this district offers a tight-knit environment with a reliable path to graduation, but families should be aware of significant math challenges and inconsistent test performance across grade levels. The elementary school’s higher spending has not translated into better results, while the tiny Leonidas School achieves comparable outcomes at a fraction of the cost. The district’s 1-star rating and bottom-quartile state ranking suggest that while there are bright spots—especially in middle school science and social studies—parents may want to supplement math instruction and monitor attendance closely, particularly at the high school level.