Schools in Zip Code 49329

Zip code 49329, serving the Howard City area in Michigan, is home to two public schools within the Tri County Area Schools district: Tri County Senior High School (grades 9-12) and Tri County Middle School (grades 6-8).

The most striking finding is the contrast between the two schools. Tri County Senior High School is a clear standout for student retention and completion, boasting a 95.6% graduation rate—well above the state average of 84%—and a dropout rate of just 1.7%. It also shows strong momentum, improving its state percentile ranking from 37th to 49th in one year, with notable gains in science, social studies, and SAT math proficiency. In contrast, Tri County Middle School struggles academically, with proficiency rates in 7th-grade math (19%) and 8th-grade science (25.8%) falling far below state averages. The middle school also serves a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students (41.2% free/reduced lunch) compared to the high school (31.5%).

Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide concern, with the high school at 31.8% and the middle school at 27.9%, both at or above the state average. This is particularly troubling given the high school's strong graduation rate, suggesting students may be advancing with significant learning gaps. Mathematics is a systemic weakness across both buildings, with SAT math proficiency (26%) at the high school roughly half that of reading (50.4%). On a positive note, resource allocation is equitable—both schools have nearly identical student-teacher ratios (~17.4) and per-student spending (~$14,000)—indicating the performance gap is not due to funding disparities. For parents, this data suggests the high school is effectively preparing students for graduation, but the middle school years may be where intervention is most needed to prevent students from falling behind.