Washington Elementary School

Summary:

Washington Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 395 students in grades PK-5 in the Bay City School District in Michigan. The school has a predominantly White student population, with significant Hispanic and multiracial representation.

Despite its relatively high per-student spending, Washington Elementary consistently underperforms compared to the district and state in academic achievement. In 2023-2024, only 14.3% of 3rd graders were proficient in English Language Arts, far below the district (27.8%) and state (39.6%) averages. The school also struggles with extremely high chronic absenteeism, ranging from 9.8% to 52.7% over the past few years. This is likely a major contributor to the school's poor academic outcomes. Additionally, Washington Elementary serves a high percentage of students from low-income families, with 87-92% eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

When compared to nearby schools, the challenges at Washington Elementary become even more apparent. Mackensen Elementary School, also in the Bay City School District, consistently outperforms Washington Elementary by 20-30 percentage points in standardized test scores. Similarly, Bangor Lincoln School and Bangor West Central School, in the neighboring Bangor Township Schools district, significantly outperform Washington Elementary in academic achievement. These comparisons highlight the significant challenges facing Washington Elementary and the need for a comprehensive, data-driven approach to address the root causes of the school's underperformance.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 1821 McKinley St
       Bay City, MI  48708-6735


(989) 894-2744

District: Bay City School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
1244th of 1,486 Michigan Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $15,341 Help


Students who attend Washington Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Handy Middle School
High:    Bay City Central High School

Student/teacher ratio:  12.7 Help
Number of students:  395

Racial breakdown:

White:
60.5%
Hispanic:
19.2%
Two or more races:
13.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  92.7% Help


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 Compare Washington Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Washington Elementary School ranks worse than 83.7% of elementary schools in Michigan. It also ranks last among 7 ranked elementary schools in the Bay City School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 15.45. (See more...)
Help
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
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Compare Details Student population at Washington Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (60.5%), Hispanic (19.2%), two or more races (13.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 92.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Bay City School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Washington Elementary School is 12.7, which is the lowest among 7 elementary schools in the Bay City School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Washington Elementary School employs 31 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Washington Elementary School is $15,341. 3 elementary schools in the Bay City School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Washington Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Washington Elementary School 1244th of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Washington 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:


Bay City School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Bay City School District 360th of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Washington Elementary School?

Rank History for Washington Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Washington Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 16.21 1428th 1545 7.6%
2007 11.28 1487th 1565 5.0%
2008 13.43 1470th 1577 6.8%
2009 18.50 1427th 1589 10.2%
2010 30.34 1306th 1552 15.9%
2011 32.39 1267th 1552 18.4%
2012 31.52 1197th 1566 23.6%
2013 34.89 1111th 1563 28.9%
2014 30.64 1156th 1533 24.6%
2015 28.76 1179th 1580 25.4%
2016 29.28 1118th 1548 27.8%
2017 17.27 1207th 1466 17.7%
2018 22.45 1173rd 1448 19.0%
2019 12.88 1234th 1408 12.4%
2021 5.89 1123rd 1153 2.6%
2022 7.65 1254th 1344 6.7%
2023 12.30 1272nd 1470 13.5%
2024 15.45 1244th 1486 16.3%
See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Washington Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.06 37th 81 54.3%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Washington Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.01 337th 403 16.4%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Washington Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.47 1003rd 1397 28.2%
2019 18.71 977th 1134 13.8%
2021 7.71 738th 749 1.5%
2023 18.95 1126th 1350 16.6%
2024 23.23 1102nd 1381 20.2%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Washington Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.12 1220th 1443 15.5%
2019 10.28 1097th 1171 6.3%
2023 7.10 1266th 1321 4.2%
2024 8.73 1259th 1342 6.2%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Washington Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.78 1083rd 1446 25.1%
2019 11.08 1109th 1196 7.3%
2023 15.86 1128th 1334 15.4%
2024 23.50 1027th 1347 23.8%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Washington Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.27 1181st 1253 5.7%
2019 6.85 1104th 1128 2.1%
2021 10.26 961st 1005 4.4%
2022 7.38 1073rd 1102 2.6%
2023 7.46 1158th 1198 3.3%
2024 7.39 1158th 1204 3.8%
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.

Washington Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2)
0%

0%

0%

100%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a citizen
Tuesday, May 7, 2019

Open Quote About a year ago or so, the leadership changed for the worse. The old principal had a heart and competence. The substitute principal, who should have never been hired in as full-time, lacks compassion and competence. Hopefully, this principal will retire or be removed soon. Some great teachers here, but a few who are immature and lacking competence and a heart as well. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Washington 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 721 49 6 64 31 n/a n/a 0 871
1989 686 42 5 71 16 n/a n/a 0 820
1990 702 29 4 70 27 n/a n/a 0 832
1991 612 49 2 75 5 n/a n/a 0 743
1992 584 49 4 61 8 n/a n/a 0 706
1993 574 48 4 54 12 n/a n/a 0 692
1994 519 49 4 60 25 n/a n/a 0 657
1995 454 54 9 55 18 n/a n/a 0 590
1996 454 54 9 55 18 n/a n/a 0 590
1997 463 61 8 74 19 n/a n/a 0 625
1998 438 56 11 76 14 n/a n/a 0 595
1999 426 62 10 75 20 n/a n/a 0 593
2000 440 66 11 63 25 n/a n/a 0 605
2001 439 72 8 50 21 n/a n/a 0 590
2002 405 80 3 58 21 n/a n/a 1 568
2003 405 80 3 58 21 n/a n/a 1 568
2004 379 85 7 61 28 n/a n/a 5 565
2005 345 74 7 55 30 n/a n/a 7 518
2006 335 70 7 56 25 n/a n/a 6 499
2007 369 91 5 50 28 n/a n/a 6 549
2008 330 78 3 52 25 n/a n/a 5 493
2009 339 67 3 52 19 n/a n/a 5 485
2010 358 75 1 59 27 n/a n/a 6 526
2011 289 49 0 71 18 0 28 0 455
2012 300 45 1 59 10 1 22 0 438
2013 324 59 0 43 9 0 8 0 443
2014 324 56 0 34 9 1 19 0 443
2015 319 51 1 47 9 0 26 0 453
2016 300 42 1 53 6 0 45 0 447
2017 287 51 3 58 5 0 61 0 465
2018 254 46 1 59 4 0 58 0 422
2019 213 40 2 50 3 0 52 0 360
2020 225 46 0 54 1 0 46 0 372
2021 205 35 0 57 1 0 43 0 341
2022 236 25 0 67 0 0 40 0 368
2023 239 23 1 76 1 0 55 0 395

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 Washington Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 871 n/a n/a n/a
1989 820 n/a n/a 29.6
1990 832 44.0 18.9 26
1991 743 n/a n/a n/a
1992 706 n/a n/a n/a
1993 692 n/a 0.0 59.4
1994 657 28.6 23.0 52.8
1995 590 29.0 20.3 54.9
1996 590 29.0 20.3 54.9
1997 625 29.0 21.6 50.9
1998 595 30.0 19.8 54.1
1999 593 30.0 19.8 50.8
2000 605 31.0 19.5 59.5
2001 590 33.0 17.9 62.2
2002 568 35.2 16.1 70
2003 568 35.2 16.1 70
2004 565 34.1 16.6 68.9
2005 518 34.6 15.0 71.6
2006 499 31.7 15.7 74
2007 549 30.0 18.3 78.5
2008 493 28.9 17.1 78.1
2009 485 29.4 16.5 88.5
2010 526 30.9 17.0 88.3
2011 455 25.6 17.7 89.2
2012 438 24.9 17.5 82.4
2013 443 26.3 16.8 84.2
2014 443 29.5 15.0 86
2015 453 26.0 17.4 74
2016 447 26.0 17.1 84.8
2017 465 24.5 18.9 83.7
2018 422 24.0 17.5 89.8
2019 360 27.0 13.3 91.1
2020 372 25.5 14.5 89.2
2021 341 25.0 13.6 90
2022 368 29.1 12.6 87.2
2023 395 31.0 12.7 92.7

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 Washington Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 871 n/a n/a n/a
1989 820 n/a n/a 29.6
1990 832 44.0 18.9 26
1991 743 n/a n/a n/a
1992 706 n/a n/a n/a
1993 692 n/a 0.0 59.4
1994 657 28.6 23.0 52.8
1995 590 29.0 20.3 54.9
1996 590 29.0 20.3 54.9
1997 625 29.0 21.6 50.9
1998 595 30.0 19.8 54.1
1999 593 30.0 19.8 50.8
2000 605 31.0 19.5 59.5
2001 590 33.0 17.9 62.2
2002 568 35.2 16.1 70
2003 568 35.2 16.1 70
2004 565 34.1 16.6 68.9
2005 518 34.6 15.0 71.6
2006 499 31.7 15.7 74
2007 549 30.0 18.3 78.5
2008 493 28.9 17.1 78.1
2009 485 29.4 16.5 88.5
2010 526 30.9 17.0 88.3
2011 455 25.6 17.7 89.2
2012 438 24.9 17.5 82.4
2013 443 26.3 16.8 84.2
2014 443 29.5 15.0 86
2015 453 26.0 17.4 74
2016 447 26.0 17.1 84.8
2017 465 24.5 18.9 83.7
2018 422 24.0 17.5 89.8
2019 360 27.0 13.3 91.1
2020 372 25.5 14.5 89.2
2021 341 25.0 13.6 90
2022 368 29.1 12.6 87.2
2023 395 31.0 12.7 92.7

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 Washington Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,638 (15.1%) $9,184 (84.9%) $10,822
2020 $1,441 (13.8%) $9,036 (86.2%) $10,477
2021 $2,068 (16.1%) $10,780 (83.9%) $12,848
2022 $3,435 (23.5%) $11,192 (76.5%) $14,627
2023 $3,013 (19.6%) $12,328 (80.4%) $15,341

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Washington 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 1234th of 1408 Elementary schoolsRanks 1272nd of 1470 Elementary schools
 1.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Washington Elementary School)26.714.5
 12.2%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Bay City School District)39.929.9
 10%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.140.9
 4.2%
3rd Grade Math (Washington Elementary School)258.5
 16.5%
   3rd Grade Math (Bay City School District)41.330.8
 10.5%
   3rd Grade Math (Michigan)46.742.9
 3.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Washington Elementary School)27.119.2
 7.9%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Bay City School District)43.742
 1.7%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.844.3
 1.5%
4th Grade Math (Washington Elementary School)22.911.5
 11.4%
   4th Grade Math (Bay City School District)45.137.4
 7.7%
   4th Grade Math (Michigan)41.838.6
 3.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Washington Elementary School)20.418.8
 1.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Bay City School District)41.738.3
 3.4%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)46.243.9
 2.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students360395
 9.7%
African American4023
 42.5%
American Indian31
 66.7%
Asian21
 50%
Hispanic5076
 52%
Pacific Islander00
White213239
 12.2%
Two or More Races5255
 5.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients91.1%92.7%
 1.5%


Schools Near Washington Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Washington Elementary School

Washington Elementary School ranks in the bottom 16.3% of Michigan elementary schools.

Students at Washington Elementary School are 61% White, 19% Hispanic, 14% Two or more races, 6% African American.

Students who attend Washington Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Handy Middle School
High : Bay City Central High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 395 students attended Washington 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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