Covert Elementary School

Summary:

Covert Elementary School is a small public magnet elementary school serving grades PK-5 in the diverse community of Covert, Michigan, with a student population of around 140 students.

Despite its small size, Covert Elementary faces significant challenges. The school has struggled with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 23.3% to 51.0% in recent years, which is much higher than the state average and nearby schools like North Shore Elementary (25.7%) and Coloma Intermediate School (21.3%). Academically, Covert Elementary's proficiency rates on the M-Step assessments consistently lag behind the state averages and nearby schools, with only 23.8% of 4th graders proficient in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 43.3%. The school's student population also faces significant economic disadvantage, with 90-100% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, much higher than the nearby schools.

Covert Elementary's challenges are reflected in its overall performance, as the school has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of Michigan elementary schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. In contrast, the nearby schools, such as Coloma Elementary School and Lincoln School, tend to perform better and have higher school ratings. While Covert Elementary has a more diverse student population, with higher percentages of Hispanic and African American students compared to the nearby schools, this diversity has not translated into better academic outcomes for the students.

Detail:

Public, Magnet PK, KG-5

35323 M 140 Hwy
Covert, MI 49043-8784

(269) 764-3739

District: Covert Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
1143^rd of 1,486 Michigan Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $23,080

Students who attend Covert Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Covert Middle School
High:	Covert High School

Student/teacher ratio: 19.3

Number of students: 155

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

58.7%

White:

21.3%

African American:

12.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 96.1%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Covert Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Covert Elementary School ranks worse than 76.9% of elementary schools in Michigan. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 21.98. (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 Covert Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (58.7%), White (21.3%), African American (12.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 96.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Covert Elementary School is 19.3. (See more...)

Compare Covert Elementary School employs 7.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Covert Elementary School is $23,080.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Covert Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Covert Elementary School 1143^rd of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Covert Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Male students:

Covert Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Covert Public Schools 513^th of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Covert Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Covert Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2006	34.94	1248^th	1545	19.2%
2007	15.44	1448^th	1565	7.5%
2008	11.72	1485^th	1577	5.8%
2009	11.31	1499^th	1589	5.7%
2010	22.31	1385^th	1552	10.8%
2011	27.96	1314^th	1552	15.3%
2012	15.84	1412^th	1566	9.8%
2013	16.54	1356^th	1563	13.2%
2014	13.44	1369^th	1533	10.7%
2015	21.24	1275^th	1580	19.3%
2016	39.01	969^th	1548	37.4%
2017	28.79	1038^th	1466	29.2%
2018	20.11	1208^th	1448	16.6%
2023	18.99	1170^th	1470	20.4%
2024	21.98	1143^rd	1486	23.1%

See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Covert Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	15.77	265^th	270	1.9%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	31.03	1039^th	1397	25.6%
2023	27.72	1000^th	1350	25.9%
2024	32.43	959^th	1381	30.6%

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

Rank History for Female students at Covert Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	14.14	1272^nd	1443	11.9%

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

Rank History for Male students at Covert Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	27.93	1080^th	1446	25.3%
2024	33.29	886^th	1347	34.2%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Covert Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	29.33	170^th	222	23.4%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Hispanic 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.

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Covert Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	160	243	0	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	418
1989	165	238	0	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	420
1990	189	273	0	23	0	n/a	n/a	0	485
1991	159	244	1	25	1	n/a	n/a	0	430
1992	159	262	0	31	0	n/a	n/a	0	452
1993	158	251	0	41	0	n/a	n/a	0	450
1995	149	246	0	61	0	n/a	n/a	0	456
1996	149	246	0	61	0	n/a	n/a	0	456
1997	147	244	0	66	0	n/a	n/a	0	457
1998	132	246	0	67	0	n/a	n/a	0	445
1999	104	240	0	86	0	n/a	n/a	0	430
2000	89	214	0	94	0	n/a	n/a	0	397
2001	85	221	0	99	3	n/a	n/a	0	408
2002	78	235	0	151	2	n/a	n/a	1	467
2003	78	235	0	151	2	n/a	n/a	1	467
2004	63	214	0	142	2	n/a	n/a	0	421
2005	56	166	0	161	1	n/a	n/a	2	386
2006	99	150	0	139	2	n/a	n/a	10	400
2007	58	127	0	110	1	n/a	n/a	1	297
2008	61	122	n/a	134	1	n/a	n/a	11	329
2009	46	113	0	141	2	n/a	n/a	3	305
2010	46	124	0	151	2	n/a	n/a	4	327
2011	36	85	0	142	1	0	8	0	272
2012	36	81	0	135	2	0	9	0	263
2013	34	50	0	134	2	0	11	0	231
2014	20	31	0	112	2	0	15	0	180
2015	22	39	0	99	0	0	10	0	170
2016	16	36	0	84	0	0	9	0	145
2017	17	28	0	102	0	0	9	0	156
2018	21	25	0	97	0	0	13	0	156
2019	29	18	0	107	0	0	10	0	164
2020	28	26	0	104	0	0	12	0	170
2021	30	26	0	105	0	0	12	0	173
2022	27	17	1	100	2	0	8	0	155
2023	28	23	1	80	0	0	8	0	140
2024	33	20	0	91	0	0	11	0	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 Covert Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	418	n/a	n/a	n/a
1989	420	n/a	n/a	69.8
1990	485	25.0	19.4	66.8
1991	430	n/a	n/a	n/a
1992	452	n/a	n/a	71.5
1993	450	n/a	0.0	60.9
1995	456	27.0	16.9	73.2
1996	456	27.0	16.9	73.2
1997	457	29.0	15.8	84
1998	445	30.0	14.8	87.2
1999	430	30.0	14.3	94.9
2000	397	31.0	12.8	99.2
2001	408	31.0	13.2	99.3
2002	467	32.0	14.6	99.6
2003	467	32.0	14.6	99.6
2004	421	34.0	12.4	90.3
2005	386	33.5	11.5	94.8
2006	400	30.5	13.1	92.8
2007	297	27.0	11.0	51.7
2008	329	27.0	12.2	73.6
2009	305	23.4	13.0	94
2010	327	19.4	16.8	96.3
2011	272	19.5	13.9	96
2012	263	17.6	14.8	96.6
2013	231	14.3	16.1	95.2
2014	180	11.0	16.3	95.6
2015	170	10.0	17.0	95.9
2016	145	9.0	16.1	96.6
2017	156	7.3	21.2	92.9
2018	156	8.6	18.0	98.7
2019	164	10.3	15.8	98.8
2020	170	9.9	17.0	90
2021	173	8.9	19.2	100
2022	155	8.9	17.2	100
2023	140	8.9	15.5	90
2024	155	7.9	19.3	96.1

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 Covert Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	418	n/a	n/a	n/a
1989	420	n/a	n/a	69.8
1990	485	25.0	19.4	66.8
1991	430	n/a	n/a	n/a
1992	452	n/a	n/a	71.5
1993	450	n/a	0.0	60.9
1995	456	27.0	16.9	73.2
1996	456	27.0	16.9	73.2
1997	457	29.0	15.8	84
1998	445	30.0	14.8	87.2
1999	430	30.0	14.3	94.9
2000	397	31.0	12.8	99.2
2001	408	31.0	13.2	99.3
2002	467	32.0	14.6	99.6
2003	467	32.0	14.6	99.6
2004	421	34.0	12.4	90.3
2005	386	33.5	11.5	94.8
2006	400	30.5	13.1	92.8
2007	297	27.0	11.0	51.7
2008	329	27.0	12.2	73.6
2009	305	23.4	13.0	94
2010	327	19.4	16.8	96.3
2011	272	19.5	13.9	96
2012	263	17.6	14.8	96.6
2013	231	14.3	16.1	95.2
2014	180	11.0	16.3	95.6
2015	170	10.0	17.0	95.9
2016	145	9.0	16.1	96.6
2017	156	7.3	21.2	92.9
2018	156	8.6	18.0	98.7
2019	164	10.3	15.8	98.8
2020	170	9.9	17.0	90
2021	173	8.9	19.2	100
2022	155	8.9	17.2	100
2023	140	8.9	15.5	90
2024	155	7.9	19.3	96.1

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 Covert Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$2,841 (14.6%)	$16,675 (85.4%)	$19,516
2020	$2,489 (14.0%)	$15,341 (86.0%)	$17,830
2021	$4,215 (25.1%)	$12,572 (74.9%)	$16,787
2022	$6,994 (36.6%)	$12,120 (63.4%)	$19,114
2023	$9,749 (42.2%)	$13,331 (57.8%)	$23,080

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Covert 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.

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
5th Grade English Language Arts (Covert Elementary School)	25.9	17.4	8.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Covert Public Schools)	25.9	17.4	8.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	46.2	43.9	2.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	164	140	14.6%
African American	18	23	27.8%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	107	80	25.2%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	29	28	3.4%
Two or More Races	10	8	20%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	98.8%	90%	8.8%

Schools Near Covert Elementary School

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 Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th 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
Covert Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	35323 M 140 Hwy	Covert	49043	Van Buren County	Covert Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(269) 764-3739	155	8	19.3	96.1%	33 (21.3%)	20 (12.9%)	91 (58.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (7.1%)	22	1143^rd of 1486 public elementary schools	23.1%		19	1170^th of 1470 public elementary schools	20.4%	27		23.8	32.0		31.8		15.4		$23,080	$9,749	$13,331
Wood School Bangor Township 8	Public, Magnet	K-8	29842 66th St	Bangor	49013	Van Buren County	Bangor Township S/D #8	No	Yes	No	No	(269) 427-8562	25	2	12.5	48.0%	21 (84.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (16.0%)								(n/a)									$11,818	$00	$11,818
Maple Grove Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	72399 12th Ave	South Haven	49090	Van Buren County	South Haven Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 637-0500	290	19	15.6	76.9%	194 (66.9%)	13 (4.5%)	44 (15.2%)	8 (2.8%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (9.7%)								(n/a)	34.4			28.1					$14,990	$2,896	$12,095
North Elementary School	Public	3-5	287 West Baldwin Ave	Watervliet	49098	Berrien County	Watervliet School District	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 463-0824	317	19	16.7	69.1%	228 (71.9%)	8 (2.5%)	59 (18.6%)	1 (0.3%)	5 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (5.0%)	39.1	865^th of 1486 public elementary schools	41.8%		41.3	830^th of 1470 public elementary schools	43.5%	35	29.4	43.8	40.2	29.1	35.8	25.2	43.0	15.9	$14,507	$2,358	$12,149
Lincoln School	Public	PK, KG-3	500 Elkenburg St	South Haven	49090	Van Buren County	South Haven Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 637-0540	227	18	12.9	73.6%	143 (63.0%)	20 (8.8%)	31 (13.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (14.1%)								(n/a)	40.0			44.4					$17,092	$3,414	$13,678
South Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	433 Lucinda Ln	Watervliet	49098	Berrien County	Watervliet School District	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 463-0820	347	20	17.1	70.3%	261 (75.2%)	12 (3.5%)	56 (16.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.6%)								(n/a)									$14,194	$2,206	$11,988
South Walnut Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	309 S Walnut St	Bangor	49013	Van Buren County	Bangor Public Schools (Van Buren)	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 427-6863	341	28	12.1	78.9%	173 (50.7%)	20 (5.9%)	130 (38.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.3%)	11.9	1311^th of 1486 public elementary schools	11.8%		14	1249^th of 1470 public elementary schools	15.0%	62	19.1	20.6		19.4	12.7				$17,445	$3,837	$13,608
Coloma Intermediate School	Public	4-5	274a S West St	Coloma	49038	Berrien County	Coloma Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 468-2415	170	8	20.2	75.9%	101 (59.4%)	13 (7.6%)	37 (21.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (11.2%)	16.2	1234^th of 1486 public elementary schools	17.0%		17.8	1195^th of 1470 public elementary schools	18.7%	39		32.9	24.1		17.7	9.6	21.7	6.0	$14,925	$3,070	$11,856
Coloma Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	262 West St	Coloma	49038	Berrien County	Coloma Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 468-2420	391	21	18.3	75.2%	228 (58.3%)	29 (7.4%)	84 (21.5%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (11.8%)								(n/a)	16.9			14.6					$14,198	$3,520	$10,678
Redwood Elementary	Public	K-5	395 Woodside Dr	Hartford	49057	Van Buren County	Hartford Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(269) 621-7300	528	31	17.0	89.0%	187 (35.4%)	6 (1.1%)	328 (62.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	21.8	1147^th of 1486 public elementary schools	22.8%		22.2	1109^th of 1470 public elementary schools	24.6%	38	16.5	22.1	32.6	28.4	30.4	20.7	29.0	6.5	$12,544	$2,715	$9,829

Frequently Asked Questions about Covert Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Covert Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Covert Middle School
High : Covert High School

What is the racial makeup of Covert Elementary School?

Students at Covert Elementary School are 59% Hispanic, 21% White, 13% African American, 7% Two or more races.

Is Covert Elementary School a good school?

Covert Elementary School ranks in the bottom 23.1% of Michigan elementary schools.

How many students attend Covert Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 155 students attended Covert Elementary School.

What district is Covert Elementary School in?

Covert Public Schools

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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.