Summary:
Zip code 49449 is home to a single school, Pentwater Public School, which serves the entire PK-12 grade span within the Pentwater Public School District, a small, rural district with 226 students and a favorable 11.7:1 student-to-teacher ratio.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that this small school shows a striking split between strong classroom test scores and weaker graduation outcomes. In the 2025-2026 school year, Pentwater Public School dramatically outperformed Michigan state averages in several grades and subjects. For example, 6th graders scored 68.4% proficient in ELA (state: 37.5%) and 63.2% in math (state: 31.9%), while 3rd graders hit 62.5% in ELA and 68.8% in math—both roughly 25 points above state averages. The 11th grade science proficiency rate of 64.3% is nearly double the state’s 35.2%, and SAT math proficiency (42.1%) is 14.6 points above the state average. However, the school’s graduation rate is just 73.6% versus the state’s 84.0%, and its dropout rate is 10.5% versus 7.1%. This paradox suggests that while many students excel academically, a significant portion are not completing high school, possibly due to attendance or engagement issues rather than academic ability.
There are also notable weak spots. Fifth grade math proficiency is only 25%, well below the state’s 32.2%, and 8th grade math (29.4% on PSAT) lags behind. Chronic absenteeism (28.0%) is essentially at the state average. With only 226 students, grade cohorts are tiny (15-25 kids), so year-to-year swings can be dramatic—both 6th and 7th grades improved by 15-25 points in ELA and math over the prior year. The school spends a substantial $18,294 per student, which likely supports its strong performance in many areas, but families should weigh the excellent test scores in elementary and high school science/math against the concerning graduation and dropout rates when considering this district.
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