Summary:
Zip code 49635 in Frankfort, Michigan, is served by two public schools within the Frankfort-Elberta Area Schools district, which together educate roughly 488 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in a small, lakeside community.
Frankfort High School (grades 6-12) is the district’s standout, ranking in the 82nd percentile statewide with a 4-star rating. Its most impressive results come in science, where 11th graders hit 69% proficiency—nearly double the state average of 35.2%—and in SAT reading/writing, where 71% of students are proficient versus 52.1% statewide. The school also posts a graduation rate of 87.5%, above the state’s 84.0%. However, performance dips notably in 7th grade, with math proficiency at just 21.4% (state: 33.3%) and ELA at 31.0% (state: 38.4%), before rebounding strongly in 8th grade. Frankfort Elementary School (PK-5) is a solid performer with a 4-star rating and an improving trajectory, climbing from the 60th to 70th percentile over two years. Its 4th and 5th grade ELA scores (62.9% and 63.4%) exceed state averages by roughly 20 points, and 5th grade math (51.2%) beats the state by 19 points. Yet 3rd grade scores lag behind state averages in both ELA (31.8% vs. 38.2%) and math (38.6% vs. 42.9%), though the dramatic jump by 4th grade suggests these gaps are quickly closed.
Both schools serve a majority low-income population (50-57% free/reduced lunch) yet achieve above-average results, likely aided by high per-student spending ($20,207-$23,209), small class sizes (12.5-13.8:1 student-teacher ratios), and low chronic absenteeism (17-18% vs. 27.9% statewide). The district’s main challenge is math, particularly in middle grades, where scores fluctuate sharply due to small cohorts of roughly 35 students per grade. Overall, families in this area benefit from a high-performing, well-funded district with strong science and literacy programs, though early elementary math and the 7th-grade transition are areas to watch.
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