Summary:
Zip code 49682 is home to just one elementary school, Suttons Bay Elementary Middle School, which serves grades PK through 8 within the Suttons Bay Public Schools district.
This small, rural school of 214 students stands out for its high per-student spending of $18,719 and a favorable 14.1:1 student-to-teacher ratio, yet it faces significant challenges. Over two-thirds of students (68.22%) qualify for free or reduced lunch, and the chronic absenteeism rate of 54.4% is nearly double the state average of 27.9%—a critical barrier to consistent learning. Academically, the school shows a split personality. Third graders outperform state averages in both ELA (47.4% vs. 38.2%) and Math (47.4% vs. 42.9%), but 4th and 5th graders fall well behind in both subjects, with 4th grade Math proficiency at just 22.5% compared to the state's 39.4%. Middle school students shine in content areas: 8th graders exceed state averages in Science (50% vs. 39.2%) and Social Studies (60% vs. 50.3%), and 8th grade PSAT ELA proficiency is strong at 70% versus the state's 64.8%.
However, math remains a persistent weakness across upper grades, with 7th grade Math at 23.1% and 8th grade PSAT Math at just 25%—a 45-point gap compared to their ELA performance. Year-over-year data reveals dramatic volatility, such as 3rd grade ELA jumping from 21.1% to 47.4% in one year, likely due to small class sizes that make percentages unstable. The school's ranking has improved from the 31st to 39th percentile over the past year, but it remains a 2-star school. For parents, this school offers strong early elementary instruction and excellent middle school humanities and science teaching, but math intervention and attendance support are clearly areas needing attention despite the substantial financial investment per student.
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