Best Public Schools in Zip Code 49107

Zip code 49107, encompassing Buchanan, MI, is served by the Buchanan Community Schools district, which includes six schools spanning Pre-K through 12th grade, from traditional elementary, middle, and high schools to alternative education programs.

For parents, the standout traditional school is Buchanan High School, which boasts a remarkable 98.2% graduation rate and a low 13.7% chronic absenteeism rate, far better than the state averages. Its students excel in reading and writing, with 63.5% proficient on the SAT, but struggle in math, where only 24.0% are proficient. At the elementary level, Moccasin Elementary School provides a strong foundation, with 3rd graders scoring 61.3% proficient in math and 54.1% in ELA, both well above state averages. In contrast, Buchanan Middle School shows a notable attendance issue, with a 27.4% chronic absenteeism rate that is nearly double the district average, even though its academic scores are slightly above state norms. Ottawa Elementary School serves only PK-1 students and has the highest per-student spending at $15,527, but has no test scores to compare.

The district also operates two very different alternative programs. Buchanan Virtual Academy offers a viable path with a 76% graduation rate, while Buchanan Step Up faces severe challenges, including a 33.3% graduation rate, a 41.6% dropout rate, and 78.2% chronic absenteeism, serving a highly at-risk population. A district-wide pattern is clear: students consistently perform much better in literacy than in math. Also, higher spending does not guarantee better results, as Moccasin Elementary has the lowest spending among traditional schools yet posts top scores. Overall, the district ranks in the top 20% of Michigan, with Buchanan High School showing impressive improvement, jumping to the 84th percentile in state rankings.