Summary:
Zip code 49412 in Fremont, Michigan, is served by two elementary schools within the Fremont Public School District—a highly rated district ranking in the 80th percentile statewide—that together educate roughly 864 students across kindergarten through fifth grade in a community where about two-thirds of families qualify for free or reduced lunch.
For parents comparing the two schools, Daisy Brook Elementary School (grades 3-5) is the clear academic standout, consistently beating Michigan state averages in nearly every subject and grade level. In 2025-2026, its 5th graders posted especially strong results: 51.8% proficient in English Language Arts (8 points above the state) and 41.7% in math (9.5 points above). The school also showed impressive year-over-year gains in 4th grade math, jumping 9.5 percentage points. Meanwhile, Pathfinder Elementary School (grades K-2) lacks recent test score data, but the district invests notably more in these early grades—spending $16,180 per student versus $14,643 at Daisy Brook and maintaining a lower student-teacher ratio (13.7 vs. 16.2). This suggests a strategic focus on building strong foundational skills with smaller class sizes before students transition to upper elementary.
One notable concern is attendance: Pathfinder has a chronic absenteeism rate of 22.3%, nearly 6 points higher than Daisy Brook’s 16.4%, which is surprising given that absenteeism typically rises with grade level. Both schools outperform expectations given their economic demographics, with Daisy Brook’s scores well above state averages despite 63% of students qualifying for free lunch. The district’s strong overall rating (4 stars, 128th of 625 Michigan districts) reinforces that families in this area benefit from consistent instructional quality, though the significant data gap for Pathfinder makes direct academic comparisons between the two schools impossible.
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