Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 49424

The 49424 zip code area in West Michigan is home to two middle schools - Harbor Lights Middle School and Macatawa Bay Middle School. Both schools serve grades 6-8 and are part of the West Ottawa Public School District, which is ranked 273 out of 613 school districts in Michigan.

While both schools face challenges, such as high chronic absenteeism rates of 29.5%, Macatawa Bay Middle School stands out with slightly higher proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Math compared to Harbor Lights Middle School. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, 42.3% of 6th graders at Macatawa Bay were proficient in ELA, compared to 36% at Harbor Lights. Additionally, Macatawa Bay serves a more economically disadvantaged student population, with 59.91% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to 51.05% at Harbor Lights.

In terms of other key metrics, Harbor Lights Middle School has a larger enrollment of 856 students, while Macatawa Bay has 661 students. Harbor Lights spends $14,768 per student, while Macatawa Bay spends $14,968 per student. The student-teacher ratio is 17.8 at Harbor Lights and 16.3 at Macatawa Bay. In the 2024-2025 school year, Harbor Lights ranked 406th out of 890 Michigan middle schools, while Macatawa Bay ranked 392nd.