Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change

Summary:

Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change is a public charter elementary school serving grades PK-8 in Norton Shores, Michigan, with a diverse student population of over 300 students.

The school faces significant challenges, including high chronic absenteeism rates ranging from 16.5% to 31.4% over the past 5 years, well below average academic performance with only 20% of 3rd graders proficient in ELA compared to the state average of 39.6%, and a very high percentage of economically disadvantaged students at 71.6% to 78.95% over the past 3 years. The school's academic performance has declined significantly over the past 5 years, ranking 1,060 out of 1,486 Michigan elementary schools in 2023-2024, down from 423 out of 1,448 in 2017-2018. While the school's racial diversity has increased, achievement gaps persist between racial subgroups.

In comparison, nearby schools like Ross Park Elementary and Lincoln Park Elementary, which are part of the higher-performing Mona Shores Public School District, have higher academic proficiency rates, lower chronic absenteeism, and serve a more economically diverse student population. Despite the school's academic challenges, Muskegon Montessori Academy spends a relatively high amount per student, ranging from $8,559 to $10,091 over the past 4 years, suggesting that factors beyond just funding may be contributing to the school's underperformance.

Detail:

Public, Charter PK, KG-8

2950 McCracken St
Norton Shores, MI 49441-3623

(231) 766-7500

District: Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change

SchoolDigger Rank:
1060^th of 1,486 Michigan Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,091

Student/teacher ratio: 16.8

Number of students: 155

Racial breakdown:

White:

52.3%

African American:

20.0%

Hispanic:

17.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 78.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change ranks worse than 71.3% of elementary schools in Michigan. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 27.76. (See more...)

Compare Details Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2017 the calculated Average Standard Score was 35.64. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (52.3%), African American (20%), Hispanic (17.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 78.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change is 16.8. (See more...)

Compare Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change employs 9.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change is $10,091.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change:

SchoolDigger ranks Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change 1060^th of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change:

SchoolDigger ranks Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change 472^nd of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2017	45.22	760^th	1466	48.2%
2018	70.74	423^rd	1448	70.8%
2022	27.10	972^nd	1344	27.7%
2023	30.79	984^th	1470	33.1%
2024	27.76	1060^th	1486	28.7%

See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	48.80	648^th	1350	52.0%
2024	44.64	727^th	1381	47.4%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	45.65	691^st	1334	48.2%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	49.33	593^rd	1198	50.5%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Michigan Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2016	56.20	370^th	894	58.6%
2017	35.64	498^th	821	39.3%

See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Michigan Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)

50%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, August 5, 2020

Best education around. Period. We have kids in k-3rd Close Quote

Enrollment information for Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2014	37	7	1	4	0	0	5	54
2015	80	20	1	9	0	0	7	117
2016	79	18	1	13	0	0	6	117
2017	70	32	0	13	0	0	17	132
2018	77	29	0	18	0	0	17	141
2019	87	33	0	20	0	0	8	148
2020	93	39	0	24	0	0	10	166
2021	76	35	0	31	0	0	20	162
2022	88	35	0	27	0	0	21	171
2023	93	28	0	24	0	1	20	166
2024	81	31	0	27	2	1	13	155

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	54	4.6	11.6	61.1
2015	117	6.0	19.5	51.3
2016	117	5.0	23.4	78.6
2017	132	7.0	18.8	75.8
2018	141	7.0	20.1	75.9
2019	148	8.5	17.4	74.3
2020	166	10.0	16.6	75.3
2021	162	9.6	16.7	71.6
2022	171	9.5	18.0	78.9
2023	166	7.5	22.1	75.3
2024	155	9.2	16.8	78.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	54	4.6	11.6	61.1
2015	117	6.0	19.5	51.3
2016	117	5.0	23.4	78.6
2017	132	7.0	18.8	75.8
2018	141	7.0	20.1	75.9
2019	148	8.5	17.4	74.3
2020	166	10.0	16.6	75.3
2021	162	9.6	16.7	71.6
2022	171	9.5	18.0	78.9
2023	166	7.5	22.1	75.3
2024	155	9.2	16.8	78.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,447 (17.4%)	$6,890 (82.6%)	$8,338
2020	$1,468 (17.2%)	$7,091 (82.8%)	$8,559
2021	$1,846 (19.3%)	$7,723 (80.7%)	$9,569
2022	$1,723 (18.9%)	$7,407 (81.1%)	$9,130
2023	$1,637 (16.2%)	$8,454 (83.8%)	$10,091

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change)	56.5	33.3	23.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change)	56.5	33.3	23.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.1	40.9	4.2%
3rd Grade Math (Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change)	39.1	28.6	10.5%
3rd Grade Math (Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change)	39.1	28.6	10.5%
3rd Grade Math (Michigan)	46.7	42.9	3.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	148	166	12.2%
African American	33	28	15.2%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	20	24	20%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	87	93	6.9%
Two or More Races	8	20	150%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	74.3%	75.3%	1%

Schools Near Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				M-Step English Language Arts (2024)				M-Step Math (2024)				M-Step Science (2024)	M-Step Social Studies (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	M-Step English Language Arts 3rd Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 4th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 5th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 6th Grade	M-Step Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th Grade	M-Step Math 6th Grade	M-Step Science 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	2950 McCracken St	Norton Shores	49441	Muskegon County	Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change	Yes	No	No	Yes	(231) 766-7500	155	9	16.8	78.1%	81 (52.3%)	31 (20.0%)	27 (17.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.3%)	1 (0.6%)	13 (8.4%)	27.8	1060^th of 1486 public elementary schools	28.7%		30.8	984^th of 1470 public elementary schools	33.1%	76	20.0	37.5	38.5	33.3		18.8		14.3	23.1		$10,091	$1,637	$8,454
Lincoln Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2951 Leon St	Muskegon	49441	Muskegon County	Mona Shores Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 755-1257	414	24	17.1	45.4%	323 (78.0%)	25 (6.0%)	37 (8.9%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	24 (5.8%)	64.3	493^rd of 1486 public elementary schools	66.8%		53.7	633^rd of 1470 public elementary schools	56.9%	140	49.2	56.9	58.4		41.5	37.5	42.9		61.0	18.2	$12,915	$884	$12,031
Campbell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1355 Greenwich Rd	Muskegon	49441	Muskegon County	Mona Shores Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 755-2550	456	25	18.2	62.3%	262 (57.5%)	98 (21.5%)	47 (10.3%)	5 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (9.4%)	29.3	1031^st of 1486 public elementary schools	30.6%		41.2	831^st of 1470 public elementary schools	43.5%	200	28.0	26.9	40.5		16.0	24.4	22.8		31.2	21.8	$13,327	$996	$12,331
Bunker Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2312 Denmark St	Muskegon	49441	Muskegon County	Muskegon Public Schools of the City of	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 720-2300	620	39	15.7	88.5%	125 (20.2%)	262 (42.3%)	151 (24.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	81 (13.1%)	8.1	1383^rd of 1486 public elementary schools	6.9%		9.5	1329^th of 1470 public elementary schools	9.6%	54	17.0	15.3	18.2		13.7	13.9	4.6		8.0		$31,417	$16,206	$15,211
Dr Martin Luther King Academy	Public, Charter	3-6	55 E Sherman Blvd	Muskegon	49444	Muskegon County	Muskegon Heights Public School Academy System	Yes	No	No	Yes	(231) 830-3600	119	2	68.0	93.3%	6 (5.0%)	110 (92.4%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)	8.6				8.6						$14,127	$3,856	$10,271
Marquette Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	550 W Grand Ave	Muskegon	49441	Muskegon County	Muskegon Public Schools of the City of	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 720-2600	320	26	12.0	97.2%	47 (14.7%)	210 (65.6%)	23 (7.2%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (11.9%)	5.6	1448^th of 1486 public elementary schools	2.6%		5.9	1425^th of 1470 public elementary schools	3.1%	23		12.2	10.2		8.3	9.8			12.2		$17,941	$3,935	$14,007
Edgewood Elementary Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-2	3028 Howden St	Muskegon	49444	Muskegon County	Muskegon Heights Public School Academy System	Yes	No	No	Yes	(231) 830-3280	157	8	20.9	89.2%	7 (4.5%)	142 (90.4%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.9%)	4 (2.5%)								(n/a)											$15,855	$5,886	$9,969
Ross Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	121 Randall Rd	Muskegon	49441	Muskegon County	Mona Shores Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 798-1773	446	33	13.4	49.6%	349 (78.3%)	36 (8.1%)	36 (8.1%)	5 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	18 (4.0%)	37.3	898^th of 1486 public elementary schools	39.6%		49.3	697^th of 1470 public elementary schools	52.6%	201	39.0	37.0	39.1		39.0	34.6	17.4		43.5	7.2	$15,515	$1,334	$14,181
Moon Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1826 Hoyt St	Muskegon	49442	Muskegon County	Muskegon Public Schools of the City of	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 720-2700	0	0	17.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)											$17,613	$4,847	$12,766
Churchill Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	961 Porter Rd	Muskegon	49441	Muskegon County	Mona Shores Public School District	No	No	No	No	(231) 798-1276	426	23	18.9	28.6%	345 (81.0%)	31 (7.3%)	20 (4.7%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	25 (5.9%)	77.9	282^nd of 1486 public elementary schools	81.0%		77.6	288^th of 1470 public elementary schools	80.4%	6	72.9	69.0	58.9		74.3	56.3	43.8		58.9	15.1	$13,067	$707	$12,360

Frequently Asked Questions about Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change

Is Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change a good school?

Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change ranks 1060^th of 1486 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change?

Students at Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change are 52% White, 20% African American, 17% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.

What district is Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change in?

Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change

How many students attend Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change?

In the 2023-24 school year, 155 students attended Muskegon Montessori Academy for Environmental Change.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Michigan Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.