Summary:
Zip code 49045 is home to just one elementary school, Davis Elementary School, which serves grades K-5 in the Decatur, MI area as part of the Decatur Public Schools district.
For parents considering this area, Davis Elementary is a mid-sized school with 356 students and a 16:1 student-teacher ratio. The school serves a predominantly low-income population, with 64% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. In the 2024-2025 school year, the school showed genuine strengths, particularly in the upper grades. Fifth graders excelled in science with 61.3% proficiency—a remarkable 21 points above the state average—and also beat state averages in math and ELA. Fourth graders also outperformed the state in ELA. However, the most recent 2025-2026 data reveals a dramatic across-the-board decline. Every subject and grade level dropped, with fifth grade science falling 28 points to 33.3% and the school's overall state ranking plummeting from the 59th percentile to the 38th percentile. The youngest students are struggling most, with third grade ELA proficiency at just 19.6% and math at 25%, both well below state averages.
On a positive note, chronic absenteeism at Davis Elementary is 19.8%, which is better than both the district (22.3%) and state (27.9%) averages, suggesting strong attendance despite socioeconomic challenges. The school also spends a substantial $19,130 per student, well above typical Michigan levels, though this funding has not consistently translated into top-tier test scores. The 2024-2025 school year demonstrated the school's potential, especially in science and upper elementary grades, but the sharp decline in 2025-2026 raises questions about whether this is a challenging cohort, instructional changes, or broader systemic issues. Parents should watch closely to see if the school can replicate its earlier successes and address the significant drops in third grade performance.
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