Best Public Schools in Zip Code 49042

Schools in zip code 49042, serving the Constantine, Michigan area, include five schools within the Constantine Public School District, covering grades PK-12 with an economically diverse student population.

For parents, the standout success story is Constantine High School, which boasts a remarkable 95.4% graduation rate—far exceeding both the district (78.7%) and state (84.0%) averages—and a dropout rate of just 3.4%. This school clearly excels at guiding students to completion. In contrast, Constantine Alternative Education serves as a critical safety net for at-risk students but struggles significantly, with a 45.4% graduation rate, a 22.7% dropout rate, and a staggering 92.7% chronic absenteeism rate. Its extremely high student-teacher ratio of 102.9:1 suggests it operates as an independent-study program, but the low engagement is a major concern. At the other end of the spectrum, Eastside Elementary School (PK-2) faces an early-education challenge with a 47.9% chronic absenteeism rate—nearly double the district average—which is worrying for the youngest learners and may be contributing to later academic struggles at Riverside Elementary School, where 5th-grade proficiency in science and social studies declined year-over-year.

Academically, Constantine Middle School shows a notable "middle school dip" in math, with 6th-grade proficiency at just 17.6% versus the state's 31.9%, despite stronger 3rd-grade math scores at Riverside (36.9%). However, the middle school excels in 8th-grade social studies (54.3% proficient, above the state's 50.3%). Resource allocation varies widely, with Eastside spending the most per student ($17,091) while the alternative school spends the least ($8,286). Economic disadvantage is highest at Eastside (63% free/reduced lunch) and decreases with grade level, reaching 44% at the high school. While the traditional high school pathway is clearly effective, the district's overall performance is dragged down by its alternative program, and the high chronic absenteeism among its youngest students signals a need for early intervention to prevent future achievement gaps.