Summary:
Zip code 49046, serving the Delton, MI area, is home to four public schools within the Delton Kellogg Schools district, enrolling roughly 1,101 students across elementary, middle, and high school grade levels, with a significant portion of families facing economic challenges.
For parents, the standout traditional option is DeltonKellogg High School, which earns a 3-star rating and boasts an exceptional 97.3% graduation rate—far exceeding the state average of 84%. However, this success is tempered by a critical weakness: only 13.2% of 11th graders are proficient in SAT Math, compared to 26.5% statewide. Meanwhile, DeltonKellogg Middle School shows promising upward momentum, rebounding to a 3-star rating with 5th-grade ELA (47.5%) and 8th-grade PSAT ELA (75.4%) scores above state averages, though math proficiency remains a district-wide concern. The most troubling picture emerges at Delton Kellogg Elementary School, where 3rd and 4th graders score roughly half the state average in both ELA and math, setting a weak foundation. The clear outlier is DK Academy, an alternative high school with a 1-star rating, a 69.7% graduation rate, and a staggering 85.7% chronic absenteeism rate (2023-24), despite serving a high-need population.
Key takeaways for families: the high school excels at graduating students but struggles to prepare them for college-level math; the middle school is a bright spot for ELA improvement but shares the district’s systemic math deficit; and the elementary school’s low proficiency rates suggest students arrive at middle school already behind. Notably, DK Academy spends just $6,363 per student—less than half of the $13,000+ spent at other district schools—which correlates with its poor outcomes. Chronic absenteeism is below state averages at the middle and high schools (around 20%) but above average at the elementary level (29.3%). Overall, while the district shows pockets of strength, particularly in high school graduation and middle school ELA, the persistent math struggles and the stark disparity at the alternative school are critical issues for parents to weigh.
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