Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 49504

The 49504 zip code area of Grand Rapids, Michigan is home to three middle schools: Westwood Middle School, Grand Rapids Public Museum Middle, and John Ball Park Zoo School. These schools serve students in grades 6-8 and provide a range of educational opportunities in the Grand Rapids Public Schools district.

Based on the data, the standout school in this set is John Ball Park Zoo School, which has significantly higher test scores compared to the other two middle schools and the district/state averages. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, 78.2% of 6th-grade students at John Ball Park Zoo School were proficient or better in M-Step/English Language Arts, compared to 24.8% for the Grand Rapids Public Schools district and 38.6% for the state of Michigan. Similarly, 54.5% of 6th-grade students at John Ball Park Zoo School were proficient or better in M-Step/Math, compared to 16.6% for the district and 31.5% for the state.

The data also reveals that higher spending per student at Westwood Middle School does not necessarily translate to better academic outcomes, as John Ball Park Zoo School, which has lower spending per student, outperforms Westwood Middle School by a wide margin. Additionally, all three middle schools have high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 29.5% to 29.5% in the 2023-2024 school year, which is a concern and may be impacting student learning and achievement.