Summary:
Zip code 49251 is home to a single middle school, Leslie Middle School, which serves grades 5 through 8 and enrolls 326 students in the Leslie Public Schools district.
For parents considering this area, Leslie Middle School presents a mixed picture of strengths and challenges. The school’s most notable academic strength is in 8th-grade math, where 41.7% of students scored proficient on the PSAT—8.5 points above the state average. Fifth-grade science is also a bright spot, with 48.6% proficiency, outpacing the state by 8.6 points. However, English Language Arts (ELA) is a significant concern in the middle grades: 6th-grade proficiency sits at just 27.1% (10.4 points below the state) and 7th-grade at 22.4% (16 points below). This creates a clear divide—strong math and science performance in some grades, but a notable literacy gap that worsens as students move from 5th to 7th grade. The school’s overall state ranking has improved slightly, moving from the 44th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 51st percentile in 2025-2026.
Two other factors stand out for families. Chronic absenteeism is high at 32.3%, well above the district’s 25.2% and the state’s 27.9%, which likely impacts learning, especially in upper grades. Nearly half of students (48.77%) qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating a majority-low-income population. The district spends $12,464 per student and maintains a 19:1 student-teacher ratio. The 5th-grade cohort appears particularly strong across multiple subjects, suggesting a solid elementary foundation, but the decline in ELA proficiency through middle school points to a need for targeted literacy interventions. Parents should weigh the school’s math and science successes against its literacy struggles and attendance issues when making decisions.
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