Summary:
Zip code 49337, serving the Newaygo, Michigan area, is home to three public schools within the Newaygo Public School District, collectively educating 1,567 students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
For parents, the standout is Newaygo High School, which posts a remarkable 92% graduation rate—8 points above the state average—and a lower dropout rate, despite the district ranking in the 36th percentile statewide. This suggests the school excels at keeping students on track to graduate, even if test scores lag. In contrast, Newaygo Middle School is the area of concern, showing a dramatic "middle school slide": 5th-grade English proficiency (48.1%) is above the state average, but by 7th grade it collapses to 21.3%. This coincides with the district's highest chronic absenteeism rate at 33.4%. Newaygo Elementary School serves as the foundation, with 4th-grade scores near state averages and the lowest absenteeism (20.8%), though 3rd-grade scores lag significantly.
Key takeaways reveal a district-wide weakness in math at every level—from 3rd grade (25.6% proficient vs. 42.9% state) to 11th-grade SAT math (15.1% vs. 26.5% state)—despite substantial per-student spending that reaches $18,738 at the high school. Social studies is a bright spot, with both middle and high school outperforming state averages. A majority of students (61-63%) are economically disadvantaged, and chronic absenteeism spikes to roughly one-third of students in middle and high school. The high school's success in graduating students contrasts sharply with low academic proficiency, suggesting a focus on credit recovery over rigorous achievement. Parents should note that while the district invests heavily in its schools, the data points to systemic challenges in math and student engagement that require targeted attention.
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