Schools in Zip Code 49079

Schools in zip code 49079, serving the village of Paw Paw and surrounding areas in Van Buren County, Michigan, include five public schools within the Paw Paw Public School District, covering grades PK-12 with a total enrollment of 2,146 students.

Paw Paw High School is the district's strongest performer, consistently beating state averages in science, social studies, and SAT reading and writing, while posting an exceptional 94.4% graduation rate compared to the district's 81.2%. In contrast, Cedar Street Community and Family Center, an alternative school for at-risk students, has a 35.7% graduation rate and 60.2% chronic absenteeism, though it spends significantly more per student ($17,675) and maintains a low 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio to provide intensive support. Among elementary schools, Paw Paw Later Elementary stands out for strong 5th-grade gains, with ELA proficiency jumping from 43.8% to 54.1% year-over-year, and it also has the district's lowest chronic absenteeism at 16.0%. Paw Paw Early Elementary School serves the youngest students (PK-2) and has the highest free/reduced lunch rate among traditional schools at 40.5%.

Math is a clear weakness at Paw Paw Middle School, where only 21.7% of 7th graders and 30.1% of 8th graders are proficient, well below state averages. However, the same school shines in literacy, with 72.5% of 8th graders proficient in PSAT English Language Arts, nearly 8 points above the state. Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide challenge, averaging 23.2%, and it strongly correlates with lower achievement. A notable district strength is social studies, where both the high school (54.7% vs. 42.1% state) and later elementary (31.8% vs. 27.5% state) outperform Michigan averages, suggesting a particularly effective curriculum in that subject area.