Summary:
Zip code 49348 is home to just one middle school, Wayland Union Middle School, which serves grades 5 through 8 and enrolls 611 students in the Wayland Union Schools district.
For parents considering this area, the single school option means your child will attend Wayland Union Middle School if you live in the district. The school shows a clear split in academic performance: it consistently beats state averages in English Language Arts across 6th and 7th grades (39.7% and 46.8% proficient, respectively) and also excels in 8th-grade science (43.4%) and social studies (51.3%). However, math is a notable weakness. Proficiency rates fall below state averages in 6th-grade math (30.2% vs. 31.9%) and significantly lag in 8th-grade PSAT math, where only 28.4% of students are proficient compared to 65.1% in PSAT ELA—a striking 37-point gap. The school’s state ranking has slipped slightly over three years, from the 72nd percentile (4 stars) to the 66th percentile (3 stars), suggesting a recent dip in overall standing.
Financially, the school spends a substantial $17,542 per student, yet this high investment does not translate into top-tier results, particularly in math. Chronic absenteeism affects 24.6% of students—higher than the district average of 22.7% but below the state’s 27.9%—and may contribute to learning gaps, especially in sequential subjects like math. With 36.17% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch, the school serves a moderately diverse socioeconomic population. Since Wayland Union Middle School is the only middle school in its district, its performance directly defines the district’s outcomes. Parents should weigh the strong ELA and science results against the math struggles and consider asking about targeted math support and intervention programs when evaluating this school.
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