Summary:
Zip code 49128 is home to a single high school, River Valley MiddleHigh School, a combined middle and high school serving grades 6 through 12 with 265 students in a rural area of Michigan.
River Valley MiddleHigh School is part of the River Valley School District, which holds a 4-star rating and ranks in the 82nd percentile statewide. The school shows a striking split in academic performance. In the most recent testing year, 11th graders posted exceptional results in Social Studies (63.4% proficient vs. 43.2% statewide) and SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (65.1% vs. 52.1% statewide). Eighth-grade PSAT English Language Arts also shines at 74.2% proficiency. However, mathematics is a clear weakness: 6th-grade math proficiency sits at just 23.1% (state: 31.9%), and 8th-grade PSAT math is 22.6% (state: 33.2%). Even the strongest math scores, such as 10th-grade PSAT math at 44.1%, barely exceed state averages. This literacy-versus-numeracy gap suggests the school excels in reading and writing instruction but struggles to bring math achievement up to similar levels.
The school’s state ranking jumped dramatically from the 43rd to the 82nd percentile in just one year, a volatility likely amplified by its small cohort sizes—roughly 38 students per grade. The graduation rate is 85.2%, slightly above the state average, but the dropout rate of 8.8% exceeds the state’s 7.1%. Over half of students (55.47%) qualify for free or reduced lunch, and chronic absenteeism affects 27.4% of the student body, just below the state average. The school maintains a favorable 13:1 student-teacher ratio and spends a substantial $23,339 per student, yet attendance remains a hurdle that funding alone hasn’t solved. For parents, this school offers strong humanities instruction and personalized attention, but math support and consistent attendance should be priorities when considering enrollment.
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