Summary:
Zip code 49746 is home to just one high school, Hillman Community JrSr High School, a small rural school serving grades 6-12 with 229 students in the Hillman Community Schools district.
For parents considering this area, the most striking takeaway is the school's dramatic split between literacy and math performance. While 8th graders hit 68.6% proficiency in ELA (above the state's 64.8%) and 11th graders scored 57.1% on SAT Reading/Writing (beating the state's 52.1%), math proficiency is critically low across every grade—ranging from just 8.6% in 8th grade to 16.2% in 9th grade, all 15-25 points below state averages. This suggests strong reading instruction but a math program that needs serious attention. The school also shows a puzzling "middle school bump" where ELA scores jump from 13-18% in 6th and 7th grades to 68.6% in 8th grade, likely reflecting different test formats or cohort strengths rather than a sudden academic surge.
On the positive side, the school boasts a 92.8% graduation rate, nearly 9 points above the state average, and its dropout rate matches the state at 7.1%. However, chronic absenteeism runs at 31.2%, higher than the state's 27.9%, which likely contributes to academic struggles. The school's state ranking has been volatile—falling from the 83rd percentile in 2023-2024 to the 42nd percentile in 2025-2026—a pattern common in small schools where individual cohorts can skew results. With per-student spending of $16,400 and a 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio, resources appear adequate, but the question remains whether funds are reaching math intervention and attendance programs. Overall, this is a school that excels at graduating students and teaching literacy, but families with children who need strong math support should investigate further.
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