Summary:
The Bentley Community School District in Michigan has only one elementary school, Barhitte Elementary School, which serves students from grades K-5. The school faces significant challenges, with consistently low academic performance, high poverty levels, and chronic absenteeism issues.
Barhitte Elementary's academic performance, as measured by M-STEP test scores, is consistently below the state averages across multiple grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 19.6% of 3rd graders at Barhitte were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 39.6%. The school's math proficiency rates for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders were also well below the state averages.
The school serves a population with significant economic disadvantage, with 89.1% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. This high poverty level may contribute to the school's academic challenges, as research has shown that poverty can be a significant barrier to student learning and achievement. Additionally, Barhitte Elementary has a high chronic absenteeism rate of 26.5%, which is strongly linked to lower academic achievement. Despite spending more per student ($14,119) than the state average, the school is still underperforming, raising questions about the effectiveness of resource allocation.
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