Joseph C Sterling Elementary School

Summary:

Joseph C Sterling Elementary School is a public magnet elementary school serving 320 students in grades PK-4 in Carleton, Michigan. The school is part of the Airport Community Schools district, which is ranked 251 out of 610 districts in the state.

Joseph C Sterling Elementary consistently outperforms its district and the state of Michigan in academic achievement, with over 54% of 3rd and 62% of 4th graders proficient or better in Math, compared to just 43-51% for the state. The school also has a significantly higher percentage of white students (90.62%) compared to nearby schools and the state average. However, the school has seen a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 12.7% to 21.4% over the past five years. Despite this, the school maintains strong performance, even for its high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds (44.38% qualify for free/reduced lunch), ranking in the top 114 out of 1,350 Michigan elementary schools.

While Joseph C Sterling Elementary's academic excellence is impressive, the school's lack of diversity is an area that could be explored. Additionally, the rising chronic absenteeism rate is a concern that the school should address. Overall, this high-performing school continues to excel, even with the challenges of serving a large population of economically disadvantaged students.


Detail:

Public, Magnet PK, KG-4

 160 Fessner Rd
       Carleton, MI  48117-9395


(734) 654-6846

District: Airport Community Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
284th of 1,486 Michigan Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,732 Help


Students who attend Joseph C Sterling Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Wagar Junior High School
High:    Airport Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio:  16.4 Help
Number of students:  320

Racial breakdown:

White:
90.6%
Hispanic:
5.6%
African American:
1.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  44.4% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Joseph C Sterling Elementary School ranks better than 80.9% of elementary schools in Michigan. It also ranks 2nd among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Airport Community Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 77.89. (See more...)
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Chronic absenteeism in a high 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
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Compare Details Joseph C Sterling Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Airport Community Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (90.6%), Hispanic (5.6%), African American (1.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 44.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Airport Community Schools District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Joseph C Sterling Elementary School is 16.4, which is the lowest among 4 elementary schools in the Airport Community Schools District! (See more...)
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Compare Joseph C Sterling Elementary School employs 19.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Joseph C Sterling Elementary School is $12,732. 2 elementary schools in the Airport Community Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Joseph C Sterling Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Joseph C Sterling Elementary School 284th of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Joseph C Sterling Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Airport Community Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Airport Community Schools 251st of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Joseph C Sterling Elementary School?

Rank History for Joseph C Sterling Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Joseph C Sterling Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 55.78 845th 1545 45.3%
2007 46.52 1068th 1565 31.8%
2008 61.50 729th 1577 53.8%
2009 71.29 463rd 1589 70.9%
2010 64.81 693rd 1552 55.3%
2011 57.13 854th 1552 45.0%
2012 54.27 747th 1566 52.3%
2013 53.73 768th 1563 50.9%
2014 75.46 332nd 1533 78.3%
2015 74.69 364th 1580 77.0%
2016 75.01 325th 1548 79.0%
2017 44.48 779th 1466 46.9%
2018 57.40 657th 1448 54.6%
2019 53.61 613th 1408 56.5%
2021 79.80 186th 1153 83.9%
2022 87.90 123rd 1344 90.8%
2023 86.41 161st 1470 89.0%
2024 77.89 284th 1486 80.9%
See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Joseph C Sterling Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.88 691st 1397 50.5%
2019 41.84 674th 1134 40.6%
2022 74.35 172nd 1099 84.3%
2023 84.07 114th 1350 91.6%
2024 59.64 474th 1381 65.7%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Joseph C Sterling Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.73 688th 1443 52.3%
2019 39.95 715th 1171 38.9%
2021 78.00 144th 902 84.0%
2022 94.43 25th 1106 97.7%
2023 92.03 59th 1321 95.5%
2024 74.13 263rd 1342 80.4%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Joseph C Sterling Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.00 601st 1446 58.4%
2019 55.97 494th 1196 58.7%
2021 74.76 180th 915 80.3%
2022 75.69 232nd 1139 79.6%
2023 70.92 333rd 1334 75.0%
2024 75.51 268th 1347 80.1%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Joseph C Sterling Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.51 702nd 1253 44.0%
2019 39.05 699th 1128 38.0%
2021 75.34 197th 1005 80.4%
2022 82.27 149th 1102 86.5%
2023 78.28 217th 1198 81.9%
2024 76.02 248th 1204 79.4%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for White Students!

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

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Joseph C Sterling Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 




Data source: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Joseph C Sterling Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 301 18 2 1 5 n/a n/a 0 327
1989 282 17 1 1 6 n/a n/a 0 307
1990 301 22 1 2 5 n/a n/a 0 331
1991 264 27 1 2 41 n/a n/a 0 335
1992 275 28 0 5 16 n/a n/a 0 324
1993 291 27 2 3 11 n/a n/a 0 334
1994 313 27 1 4 10 n/a n/a 0 355
1995 319 31 1 7 0 n/a n/a 0 358
1996 319 31 1 7 0 n/a n/a 0 358
1997 349 24 0 8 0 n/a n/a 0 381
1998 343 34 2 6 4 n/a n/a 0 389
1999 333 29 1 3 1 n/a n/a 0 367
2000 336 31 1 5 1 n/a n/a 0 374
2001 350 12 3 5 2 n/a n/a 0 372
2002 322 7 2 9 1 n/a n/a 0 341
2003 322 7 2 9 1 n/a n/a 0 341
2004 311 7 2 8 6 n/a n/a 0 334
2005 285 11 3 14 3 n/a n/a 0 316
2006 285 8 3 12 4 n/a n/a 0 312
2007 301 12 3 8 2 n/a n/a 0 326
2008 296 11 3 12 2 n/a n/a 0 324
2009 288 11 3 9 5 n/a n/a 0 316
2010 314 10 2 7 5 n/a n/a 0 338
2011 350 5 3 7 4 0 0 0 369
2012 351 12 1 5 4 0 0 0 373
2013 309 12 1 10 5 0 0 0 337
2014 239 5 1 7 2 0 1 0 255
2015 244 4 0 5 0 0 1 0 254
2016 234 4 0 9 0 0 1 0 248
2017 238 6 0 10 3 0 0 0 257
2018 261 7 0 13 2 0 1 0 284
2019 252 4 0 10 0 0 2 0 268
2020 246 3 0 15 0 0 4 0 268
2021 260 3 0 9 0 0 2 0 274
2022 266 3 0 15 0 0 4 0 288
2023 290 5 0 18 2 0 5 0 320

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 Joseph C Sterling Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 327 n/a n/a n/a
1989 307 n/a n/a 20.5
1990 331 15.0 22.0 17.8
1991 335 n/a n/a n/a
1992 324 n/a n/a n/a
1993 334 n/a 0.0 0
1994 355 16.0 22.2 20
1995 358 16.2 22.1 21.2
1996 358 16.2 22.1 21.2
1997 381 15.0 25.4 18.6
1998 389 17.0 22.9 19
1999 367 18.0 20.4 20.2
2000 374 17.6 21.3 23.3
2001 372 17.8 20.9 16.7
2002 341 16.5 20.7 24.6
2003 341 16.5 20.7 24.6
2004 334 15.5 21.5 30.5
2005 316 15.3 20.7 29.7
2006 312 15.0 20.8 35.6
2007 326 14.6 22.3 37.7
2008 324 16.7 19.4 34.9
2009 316 16.8 18.8 41.1
2010 338 17.0 19.8 41.4
2011 369 17.0 21.6 43.1
2012 373 21.3 17.4 46.4
2013 337 20.3 16.6 42.4
2014 255 16.6 15.3 47.5
2015 254 14.0 18.1 48.8
2016 248 17.0 14.5 44.8
2017 257 17.3 14.7 49.8
2018 284 17.9 15.8 53.5
2019 268 17.1 15.6 50
2020 268 17.0 15.7 45.5
2021 274 17.7 15.4 42.3
2022 288 17.9 16.0 42.7
2023 320 19.5 16.4 44.4

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 Joseph C Sterling Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 327 n/a n/a n/a
1989 307 n/a n/a 20.5
1990 331 15.0 22.0 17.8
1991 335 n/a n/a n/a
1992 324 n/a n/a n/a
1993 334 n/a 0.0 0
1994 355 16.0 22.2 20
1995 358 16.2 22.1 21.2
1996 358 16.2 22.1 21.2
1997 381 15.0 25.4 18.6
1998 389 17.0 22.9 19
1999 367 18.0 20.4 20.2
2000 374 17.6 21.3 23.3
2001 372 17.8 20.9 16.7
2002 341 16.5 20.7 24.6
2003 341 16.5 20.7 24.6
2004 334 15.5 21.5 30.5
2005 316 15.3 20.7 29.7
2006 312 15.0 20.8 35.6
2007 326 14.6 22.3 37.7
2008 324 16.7 19.4 34.9
2009 316 16.8 18.8 41.1
2010 338 17.0 19.8 41.4
2011 369 17.0 21.6 43.1
2012 373 21.3 17.4 46.4
2013 337 20.3 16.6 42.4
2014 255 16.6 15.3 47.5
2015 254 14.0 18.1 48.8
2016 248 17.0 14.5 44.8
2017 257 17.3 14.7 49.8
2018 284 17.9 15.8 53.5
2019 268 17.1 15.6 50
2020 268 17.0 15.7 45.5
2021 274 17.7 15.4 42.3
2022 288 17.9 16.0 42.7
2023 320 19.5 16.4 44.4

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 Joseph C Sterling Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $938 (9.5%) $8,963 (90.5%) $9,901
2020 $1,019 (10.2%) $9,013 (89.8%) $10,032
2021 $1,043 (9.3%) $10,168 (90.7%) $11,211
2022 $2,612 (21.1%) $9,749 (78.9%) $12,361
2023 $1,653 (13.0%) $11,079 (87.0%) $12,732

Data source: Michigan Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Joseph C Sterling Elementary School

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.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 613th of 1408 Elementary schoolsRanks 161st of 1470 Elementary schools
 32.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Joseph C Sterling Elementary School)53.871.2
 17.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Airport Community Schools)53.449.3
 4.1%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.140.9
 4.2%
3rd Grade Math (Joseph C Sterling Elementary School)53.871.2
 17.4%
   3rd Grade Math (Airport Community Schools)58.657.5
 1.1%
   3rd Grade Math (Michigan)46.742.9
 3.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Joseph C Sterling Elementary School)44.462.7
 18.3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Airport Community Schools)55.454.2
 1.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.844.3
 1.5%
4th Grade Math (Joseph C Sterling Elementary School)38.955.9
 17%
   4th Grade Math (Airport Community Schools)49.454.9
 5.5%
   4th Grade Math (Michigan)41.838.6
 3.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students268320
 19.4%
African American45
 25%
American Indian02
Asian00
Hispanic1018
 80%
Pacific Islander00
White252290
 15.1%
Two or More Races25
 150%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients50%44.4%
 5.6%


Schools Near Joseph C Sterling Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Joseph C Sterling Elementary School

Joseph C Sterling Elementary School ranks 284th of 1486 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Joseph C Sterling Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Wagar Junior High School
High : Airport Senior High School

Students at Joseph C Sterling Elementary School are 91% White, 6% Hispanic, 2% African American, 2% Two or more races.

In the 2022-23 school year, 320 students attended Joseph C Sterling Elementary School.


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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.





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