Summary:
Zip code 49408 is home to just one middle school, Fennville Middle School, which serves grades 6-8 and enrolls 293 students in the Fennville Public Schools district, a predominantly rural area with a high rate of economic disadvantage.
For parents considering this school, the most important context is that Fennville Middle serves a student body where nearly 78% qualify for free or reduced lunch, and it faces a significant challenge with chronic absenteeism—48.8% of students miss substantial instructional time, compared to 27.9% statewide. Academically, the school trails Michigan averages in most subjects. For example, 6th grade English proficiency is 24.5% versus 37.5% statewide, and 7th grade math proficiency is 20% versus 33.3%. However, there is a notable bright spot: 8th graders taking the PSAT outperform the state in math, with 42% proficient versus 33.2% statewide. The school also saw a broad decline from the prior year, with the steepest drops in 8th grade PSAT English (-11.7 points) and 8th grade science (-11 points), though 8th grade social studies improved by 3 points.
Spending is substantial at $15,256 per student, yet outcomes remain below average, raising questions about resource effectiveness given the high absenteeism. The school’s state ranking has been volatile, moving from the 31st percentile in 2023-24 to 49th in 2024-25, then falling to the 38th percentile this year. The district itself ranks 420th out of 625 Michigan districts with a 2-star rating. While the overall picture is challenging, the 8th grade math success and the social studies improvement suggest that targeted interventions can work. For parents, the key takeaway is that Fennville Middle offers pockets of strength, particularly in later grades, but addressing attendance will be critical to unlocking better academic results for all students.
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