Best Public Schools in Zip Code 49862

Zip code 49862 in Munising, Michigan, is served by two public schools within the Munising Public Schools district, educating roughly 549 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in a small, rural Upper Peninsula community where nearly half of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Munising High and Middle School (grades 6-12, 296 students) shows dramatic year-to-year ranking swings—from a 4-star, 78th-percentile year to a 1-star year and back to a 3-star rating—likely reflecting small class sizes where a few students can shift results. Despite this volatility, the school posts strong outcomes: an 89.5% graduation rate (5.5 points above the state), a 2.0% dropout rate (versus 7.1% statewide), and standout science proficiency (52.4% of 11th graders versus 35.2% statewide). However, math remains a persistent weakness, with proficiency running 12-13 points below state averages in grades 6, 7, and 10. The school also shows remarkable recovery in social studies, jumping from 10.8% to 42.9% proficiency in one year. William G Mather Elementary School (grades PK-5, 253 students) offers more consistency, holding steady at a 2-star, mid-pack ranking. Its 5th-grade science scores exceed state averages by 8.7 points, but 3rd-grade math and ELA lag by 7-10 points. The elementary school spends $18,030 per student—nearly $3,000 more than the secondary school—yet both maintain favorable student-teacher ratios (15.0:1 and 15.9:1).

Both schools report chronic absenteeism around 20.5%, well below the 27.9% state average, suggesting strong student engagement and support systems. The most striking pattern is the contrast between excellent science and reading outcomes versus consistently weak math performance across all grade levels—a systemic issue rather than a cohort problem. Extreme score fluctuations (including a 50-point gap between 7th and 8th grade ELA) point to very small cohorts, making single-year comparisons unreliable. For parents, this district offers a supportive environment with above-average graduation rates and science instruction, but incoming students may need supplemental math support. The recent recovery from a difficult 2024-2025 year suggests resilience, though the elementary school's higher per-student spending has not yet translated into above-average overall performance.