Best Public Schools in Zip Code 49247

Zip code 49247, encompassing the Hudson, Michigan area, is served by the Hudson Area Schools district, which operates four schools—Hudson Area JRSR High School, Lincoln Elementary School, Hudson Technical Alternative, and Hudson Middle School—serving roughly 1,368 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.

For parents, the most important takeaway is that this district presents a stark contrast between its traditional schools and its alternative program. Hudson Area JRSR High School is the clear academic leader, boasting a strong 91.3% graduation rate that far exceeds both the district and state averages, and it is the only school in the district to outperform the state in 11th-grade science. In contrast, Hudson Technical Alternative is in crisis, with a 42.7% graduation rate, a 24.7% dropout rate, and a staggering 53.5% chronic absenteeism rate, compounded by an extraordinary 136.5:1 student-teacher ratio. Meanwhile, Hudson Middle School and Lincoln Elementary School serve younger students but struggle academically, particularly in math, where proficiency rates at the middle school dip to just 6.3% for 5th graders—far below the state average of roughly 32%.

Across the board, math proficiency is a systemic concern, with every grade level trailing state benchmarks by significant margins. However, there are bright spots: Hudson Middle School posts the district's lowest chronic absenteeism at 18.2%, better than the state average, despite spending the most per student ($15,467) with disappointing results. This disconnect between spending and outcomes is notable, as Hudson Area JRSR High School achieves better results while spending significantly less. The district's overall 1-star rating is heavily dragged down by the alternative school's 0-star performance, masking the relative success of its primary schools. Parents should also be aware that year-to-year test scores fluctuate considerably, likely due to small class sizes, making it important to look at multi-year trends rather than any single year's data.