Summary:
Zip code 49274 is home to a single public high school, Reading High School, which serves grades 7 through 12 within the Reading Community Schools district in the small, rural community of Reading, Michigan.
For parents considering this area, the most important takeaway is that Reading High School excels at keeping students engaged and on track to graduate, but struggles with academic proficiency, particularly in math. The school’s graduation rate is a strong 87.7%, well above the state average of 84.0%, and its dropout rate of 4.0% is nearly half the state’s 7.1%. Chronic absenteeism is also a bright spot at just 15.6%, compared to the state’s 27.9%, suggesting students are consistently showing up. However, this positive attendance does not translate into test scores. For example, only 10.8% of 11th graders were proficient in SAT math versus a 26.5% state average, and similar gaps appear across 7th and 10th grade math assessments. This disconnect between strong attendance and weak academics is the central story of this school.
There are some notable exceptions and areas of concern. Eighth-grade English Language Arts is a clear strength, with 62.2% proficiency nearly matching the state’s 64.8%, indicating effective literacy instruction in the middle grades. However, social studies scores are volatile, swinging from 37.8% proficiency one year to just 24.3% the next, which may signal inconsistent curriculum or testing cohorts. With 54.55% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch and per-student spending of $16,847, the school invests significant resources, yet the academic return, especially in math, remains below par. The school’s state ranking has fluctuated, sitting at the 43rd percentile in the most recent year after a dip to the 32nd percentile, suggesting a possible rebound but still leaving room for improvement.
Thank you for your feedback!