Schools in Zip Code 49252

Schools in zip code 49252 serve the Litchfield, Michigan area through the Litchfield Community Schools district, which includes just two schools—Litchfield Elementary School (grades K-5, 110 students) and Litchfield High School (grades 6-12, 143 students)—serving a predominantly low-income population where roughly two-thirds to three-quarters of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Both schools struggle academically, but Litchfield High School faces the more severe challenges. Its graduation rate sits at just 59% compared to the state average of 84%, and its dropout rate of 22.7% is more than triple the state norm. The high school's ranking has plummeted from the 40th percentile in 2022-2023 to the 19th percentile in 2025-2026. Math proficiency is particularly alarming, dropping from 15% in 3rd grade to just 9.4% by 7th grade—meaning fewer than 1 in 10 middle schoolers are proficient in math. Even 11th grade SAT reading scores show only 23.5% proficiency versus 52.1% statewide. Litchfield Elementary School performs somewhat better, with 4th grade ELA and Math scores of 33.3% representing relative bright spots, though 3rd grade math proficiency is just 15% and 5th grade science sits at 23.5%.

Notably, chronic absenteeism at both schools (25.6-25.8%) is actually below the state average of 27.9%, indicating attendance is not the primary driver of poor outcomes. The district spends about $15,300 per student—not far off state norms—yet achieves bottom-quartile results, suggesting socioeconomic factors and instructional challenges play a larger role than resources. The consistency of struggles across both buildings points to systemic district-wide issues rather than isolated problems. With the high school's ranking dropping 21 percentile points in just three years and roughly 2 in 5 students failing to graduate on time, families should carefully consider the academic trajectory and support services available in this district.