Summary:
Zip code 49643 is home to just one school, Lake Ann Elementary School, a public PK-5 school in the Benzie County Central Schools district, serving 180 students in a rural Michigan setting.
For parents considering this area, Lake Ann Elementary is a school of contrasts. It is clearly the strongest performer within its district, beating Benzie County Central Schools averages by wide margins in nearly every subject and grade. For example, 5th-grade English proficiency hit 48.6% versus the district's 31.8%, and social studies proficiency was 31.4% compared to just 19.3% district-wide. The school also shines in attendance, with a chronic absenteeism rate of 17.9%—far better than the district's 34.8% and the state's 27.9%. With a low student-teacher ratio of 13.7 and high per-student spending of $16,248, the school offers a well-resourced, supportive environment. However, state-wide comparisons tell a more mixed story. The school's ranking has slipped from the 62nd percentile in 2023-2024 to the 50th percentile in 2025-2026, and performance in lower grades (3rd and 4th) often trails Michigan averages.
The most important takeaway for parents is the dramatic variation between grade-level cohorts. The 2024-2025 5th-grade class was exceptional, posting proficiency rates far above state averages in ELA (65.4% vs. 44.4%), math (61.5% vs. 32.9%), and science (53.8% vs. 40.3%). Yet the following year's 4th-grade class showed a critical weakness in math, with only 19.23% proficiency—well below the state's 39.4% and a sharp drop from the prior year's 33.3%. This suggests that a child's experience can depend heavily on their specific class and teacher, not just the school overall. Half of the students qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating moderate economic need. While the school is a clear asset to its district, parents should look closely at grade-specific data and ask about how the school plans to address the math struggles seen in the current 4th grade.
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