Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 49770

Zip code 49770, serving the Petoskey, Michigan area, is home to four public elementary schools—Sheridan School, Ottawa Elementary School, Lincoln School, and Central Elementary School—all part of the highly-ranked Public Schools of Petoskey district, which sits in the 90th percentile statewide. These schools serve grades K-5 (with Ottawa also offering Pre-K) and enroll between 234 and 252 students each, providing families with a range of options within a single, top-tier district.

For parents, the standout choice for overall academic performance is Sheridan School, which earned the district’s only 5-star rating and the highest state ranking (126th out of 1492). Sheridan leads in 3rd-grade ELA (79.1% proficient) and Math (76.7%), and also posts the strongest 5th-grade Science and Social Studies scores. However, Lincoln School offers remarkable consistency, holding a 4-star rating and excelling in 4th grade, with 74.4% proficiency in both ELA and Math. Meanwhile, Ottawa Elementary School is the most improved, jumping over 250 spots in state ranking thanks to dramatic gains in 3rd-grade scores, and it also boasts the lowest student-teacher ratio (11.9:1) and highest per-student spending ($20,683). Central Elementary School, despite a lower overall ranking, shines in 5th grade with the highest ELA proficiency (78%) in the group.

Key differences extend beyond test scores. Lincoln School has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (13.4%), nearly half the state average, which correlates with its steady achievement. Ottawa Elementary School serves the highest percentage of economically disadvantaged students (40.8%) but invests the most per pupil, suggesting targeted resources may be driving its turnaround. Parents should note that no single school is best for every grade—Sheridan dominates 3rd grade, Lincoln excels in 4th, and Central leads in 5th-grade ELA—so a child’s grade level may influence the ideal choice. Finally, all four schools far exceed the state average in 5th-grade Science, indicating a district-wide strength in that subject.