Summary:
Zip code 49931 is home to just one middle school, Houghton Middle School, which serves grades 6 through 8 and is part of the Houghton-Portage Township School District.
Houghton Middle School is an exceptional academic performer, ranking in the top 6-8% of all middle schools in Michigan over the past three years. In the most recent school year, it earned a 5-star rating and placed 55th out of 896 schools statewide. The school's proficiency rates are dramatically higher than state averages in every subject and grade level tested. For example, 8th-grade science proficiency stands at 70.2% compared to the state average of 39.2%, and 8th-grade social studies proficiency is 76.6% versus 50.3% statewide. The most striking result is in 8th-grade PSAT English Language Arts, where an impressive 88.7% of students are proficient, far exceeding the state's 64.8% average. While math scores are also strong—with 6th-grade math at 56.0% versus 31.9% statewide—they represent the school's relative area for growth compared to its other subjects.
The school serves 359 students with a student-teacher ratio of 15.5:1 and per-student spending of $12,484. About 32% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch, yet the school achieves these high results regardless of economic background. Chronic absenteeism is notably low at 17.7%, well below the state average of 27.9%, suggesting strong student engagement. Performance is also improving year-over-year: the school's state ranking climbed from 72nd to 55th, and proficiency increased in nearly every subject between the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years. For parents, this school offers a rigorous, well-rounded education with particularly outstanding results in science, social studies, and reading, all while maintaining a supportive and engaged learning environment.
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