Summary:
Zip code 49261 is home to just one middle school, Napoleon Middle School, which serves grades 6 through 8 and enrolls 261 students as part of the Napoleon Community Schools district.
For parents considering this area, Napoleon Middle School presents a mixed academic picture. The school ranks 474th out of 896 Michigan middle schools (47th percentile, 2 stars), a slight dip from the prior year’s 427th place (52nd percentile, 3 stars). Its clear strengths lie in 8th-grade Social Studies and Science, where students consistently outperform state averages—most notably in Social Studies, where 62.1% were proficient in 2024-2025, a full 15 points above the state. However, the school struggles significantly in core subjects. In 2025-2026, only 31.8% of 6th graders and 19.3% of 7th graders were proficient in English Language Arts, compared to state averages of 37.5% and 38.4%. Math proficiency is similarly below par, with 6th and 7th grade rates around 21-22% versus state averages near 32-33%. Even the 8th-grade PSAT math score, while improved to 25%, trails the state’s 33.2%.
One of the most concerning trends is a dramatic drop in 7th-grade ELA proficiency, falling from 29.3% in 2024-2025 to just 19.3% in 2025-2026—a 10-point decline in one year. This suggests possible cohort-specific issues or curriculum changes worth investigating. On a positive note, chronic absenteeism is a relative bright spot at 22.1%, lower than both the district (26.1%) and state (27.9%) averages. The district spends a substantial $18,201 per student with a 16.4:1 student-teacher ratio, yet this high investment has not translated into stronger math and reading outcomes. Roughly 38.7% of students are economically disadvantaged. Overall, families should weigh the school’s strong science and social studies performance against its persistent challenges in foundational literacy and math skills.
Thank you for your feedback!