Central Montcalm Public Schools

The Central Montcalm Public Schools district in Michigan operates three schools: two elementary schools (Central Montcalm Elementary School and Central Montcalm Upper Elementary School) and one middle/high school (Central Montcalm Middle High School). The district as a whole is ranked 470 out of 610 school districts in Michigan and is rated 1 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger, indicating that the schools are consistently underperforming compared to state averages on academic metrics.

The proficiency rates on standardized tests, such as M-Step and SAT/PSAT, are significantly below the state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2023-2024, the 11th grade proficiency rate in SAT/Math at Central Montcalm Middle High School was 18.4%, compared to the state average of 26.3%. The elementary schools also struggle, with proficiency rates ranging from 5.2% to 30.9% on various M-Step tests, well below the state averages. Additionally, Central Montcalm Middle High School has a 4-year graduation rate of 85.1%, which is lower than the state average, and a relatively high dropout rate of 9.9%.

The district's demographic and socioeconomic factors may contribute to the academic challenges faced by the schools. The student population across the district is predominantly white, ranging from 89.57% to 95.02% at the individual schools, and the schools have high rates of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 61.96% to 77.08%. This suggests a relatively low-income student population, which can be a contributing factor to the academic struggles. Despite the relatively high spending per student and low student-teacher ratios, the district is still struggling to improve academic outcomes, indicating that the issue may not be solely about the level of resources, but rather how those resources are being utilized and targeted to address the specific needs of the student population.