Forest Area Middle School

Summary:

Forest Area Middle School is a public middle school located in Fife Lake, Michigan, serving grades 4-8 with a total enrollment of 212 students. The school is part of the Forest Area Community Schools district, which is ranked 465 out of 610 districts in Michigan and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Forest Area Middle School faces several significant challenges. The school has a much higher percentage of white students (92.45%) compared to nearby schools like Kingsley Area Middle School and Lake City Middle School, which have more diverse student populations. Additionally, the school has experienced a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 18.1% in 2018-2019 to 38.1% in 2022-2023, well above the rates of nearby schools. Academically, Forest Area Middle School consistently underperforms the state and nearby school averages in M-Step and PSAT assessments, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Math significantly lower than the state and nearby school averages. The school also has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 62.74% to 76.47% over the past three school years, indicating a higher proportion of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.

Overall, the data suggests that Forest Area Middle School is facing significant challenges in terms of academic performance, student demographics, and school climate. The school's ranking of 779 out of 897 in Michigan middle schools, along with its 1-star rating from SchoolDigger, further underscores the need for targeted interventions and support to address the underlying factors contributing to its low performance. Nearby schools like Kingsley Area Middle School and Lake City Middle School, which generally outperform Forest Area Middle School across various metrics, may provide valuable insights and best practices that could help improve outcomes for the students at Forest Area Middle School.


Detail:

Public 4-8

 7661 Shippy Rd SW
       Fife Lake, MI  49633-8243


(231) 369-2884

District: Forest Area Community Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
779th of 897 Michigan Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,814 Help


Students who attend Forest Area Middle School usually attend:

High:    Forest Area High School

Feeder schools for Forest Area Middle School:

Elementary:    Fife Lake Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  19.2 Help
Number of students:  212

Racial breakdown:

White:
92.5%
Two or more races:
3.3%
African American:
2.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  62.7% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Forest Area Middle School ranks worse than 76.7% of elementary schools in Michigan. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 22.11. (See more...)
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Compare Details Forest Area Middle School ranks worse than 86.8% of middle schools in Michigan. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 13.82. (See more...)
Help
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 Racial makeup is: White (92.5%), two or more races (3.3%), African American (2.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 62.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Forest Area Middle School is 19.2. (See more...)
Help
Compare Forest Area Middle School employs 11 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Forest Area Middle School is $12,814.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Forest Area Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Forest Area Middle School 1140th of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Forest Area Middle School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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

SchoolDigger ranks Forest Area Middle School 779th of 897 Michigan public middle schools. (See Forest Area Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Forest Area Community Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Forest Area Community Schools 465th of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Forest Area Middle School

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Forest Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 25.92 1040th 1408 26.1%
2021 12.47 1053rd 1153 8.7%
2022 6.38 1284th 1344 4.5%
2023 9.32 1337th 1470 9.0%
2024 22.11 1140th 1486 23.3%
See the entire list of Michigan Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Forest Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.44 935th 1397 33.1%
2019 33.02 803rd 1134 29.2%
2023 13.37 1210th 1350 10.4%
2024 31.20 986th 1381 28.6%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Forest Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.02 1082nd 1443 25.0%
2023 4.96 1298th 1321 1.7%
2024 17.54 1130th 1342 15.8%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Forest Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.51 1020th 1446 29.5%
2019 30.02 855th 1196 28.5%
2023 12.80 1184th 1334 11.2%
2024 26.98 972nd 1347 27.8%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Forest Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.30 1118th 1253 10.8%
2019 14.81 1030th 1128 8.7%
2021 9.71 965th 1005 4.0%
2022 2.00 1101st 1102 0.1%
2023 3.39 1191st 1198 0.6%
2024 9.44 1139th 1204 5.4%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for Forest Area Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all middle school students at Forest Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 52.10 495th 806 38.6%
2007 36.43 650th 823 21.0%
2008 33.41 670th 839 20.1%
2009 47.85 584th 847 31.1%
2010 55.45 512th 851 39.8%
2011 49.66 560th 858 34.7%
2012 31.21 683rd 900 24.1%
2013 37.89 612th 919 33.4%
2014 37.73 620th 921 32.7%
2015 40.30 570th 919 38.0%
2016 29.09 638th 894 28.6%
2017 27.77 588th 821 28.4%
2018 49.62 438th 838 47.7%
2019 37.53 495th 792 37.5%
2021 29.67 481st 675 28.7%
2022 38.54 466th 776 39.9%
2023 36.83 545th 883 38.3%
2024 13.82 779th 897 13.2%
See the entire list of Michigan Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Forest Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.79 260th 815 68.1%
2019 46.39 353rd 672 47.5%
2021 41.14 304th 523 41.9%
2022 60.00 217th 691 68.6%
2023 30.53 587th 825 28.8%
2024 25.63 634th 836 24.2%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Forest Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 56.22 337th 794 57.6%
2019 38.39 396th 658 39.8%
2023 36.39 490th 770 36.4%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Forest Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.22 495th 797 37.9%
2019 43.79 334th 639 47.7%
2021 34.83 340th 540 37.0%
2022 46.67 315th 658 52.1%
2023 40.31 450th 776 42.0%
2024 17.53 660th 786 16.0%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Forest Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.18 472nd 678 30.4%
2019 24.50 490th 624 21.5%
2021 21.60 469th 577 18.7%
2022 23.72 506th 638 20.7%
2023 22.00 569th 688 17.3%
2024 5.58 695th 701 0.9%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle 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.

Forest Area Middle 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 Forest Area Middle School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1994 187 0 1 0 3 n/a n/a 0 191
1995 182 0 2 0 6 n/a n/a 0 190
1996 182 0 2 0 6 n/a n/a 0 190
1997 183 0 1 0 9 n/a n/a 0 193
1998 180 1 1 0 5 n/a n/a 0 187
1999 198 0 1 0 6 n/a n/a 0 205
2000 186 1 0 0 4 n/a n/a 0 191
2001 195 1 1 0 8 n/a n/a 0 205
2002 206 1 1 2 7 n/a n/a 0 217
2003 206 1 1 2 7 n/a n/a 0 217
2004 201 1 1 1 8 n/a n/a 0 212
2005 223 1 0 3 7 n/a n/a 0 234
2006 206 1 0 3 5 n/a n/a 0 215
2007 203 3 0 3 7 n/a n/a 0 216
2008 178 5 n/a 5 13 n/a n/a 0 201
2009 155 3 1 4 5 n/a n/a 0 168
2010 145 2 1 3 6 n/a n/a 0 157
2011 140 1 1 0 3 0 0 0 145
2012 141 2 0 1 3 0 0 0 147
2013 126 2 0 2 3 0 0 0 133
2014 133 2 0 2 1 0 0 0 138
2015 162 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 166
2016 186 0 0 4 2 0 4 0 196
2017 110 0 0 2 1 0 3 0 116
2018 162 2 0 9 3 0 2 0 178
2019 178 3 0 6 2 0 1 0 190
2020 189 2 0 6 3 1 2 0 203
2021 183 4 0 4 3 0 3 0 197
2022 176 3 1 3 2 0 2 0 187
2023 196 5 1 2 1 0 7 0 212

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 Forest Area Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1994 191 9.0 21.2 0
1995 190 12.2 15.6 0
1996 190 12.2 15.6 0
1997 193 13.0 14.8 0
1998 187 12.0 15.6 0
1999 205 12.0 17.1 0
2000 191 15.0 12.7 0
2001 205 12.3 16.7 0
2002 217 10.5 20.7 n/a
2003 217 10.5 20.7 n/a
2004 212 10.5 20.2 n/a
2005 234 10.5 22.3 n/a
2006 215 9.5 22.6 0
2007 216 9.5 22.7 51.9
2008 201 9.5 21.2 56.7
2009 168 10.5 16.0 64.9
2010 157 10.5 14.9 70.7
2011 145 8.2 17.6 62.8
2012 147 6.9 21.1 72.1
2013 133 8.4 15.8 72.9
2014 138 7.3 18.8 73.2
2015 166 10.0 16.6 68.1
2016 196 9.0 21.7 75
2017 116 10.1 11.3 60.3
2018 178 10.0 17.7 68.5
2019 190 11.3 16.7 76.3
2020 203 11.4 17.6 70.4
2021 197 12.0 16.3 70.6
2022 187 11.1 16.7 76.5
2023 212 11.0 19.2 62.7

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 Forest Area Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1994 191 9.0 21.2 0
1995 190 12.2 15.6 0
1996 190 12.2 15.6 0
1997 193 13.0 14.8 0
1998 187 12.0 15.6 0
1999 205 12.0 17.1 0
2000 191 15.0 12.7 0
2001 205 12.3 16.7 0
2002 217 10.5 20.7 n/a
2003 217 10.5 20.7 n/a
2004 212 10.5 20.2 n/a
2005 234 10.5 22.3 n/a
2006 215 9.5 22.6 0
2007 216 9.5 22.7 51.9
2008 201 9.5 21.2 56.7
2009 168 10.5 16.0 64.9
2010 157 10.5 14.9 70.7
2011 145 8.2 17.6 62.8
2012 147 6.9 21.1 72.1
2013 133 8.4 15.8 72.9
2014 138 7.3 18.8 73.2
2015 166 10.0 16.6 68.1
2016 196 9.0 21.7 75
2017 116 10.1 11.3 60.3
2018 178 10.0 17.7 68.5
2019 190 11.3 16.7 76.3
2020 203 11.4 17.6 70.4
2021 197 12.0 16.3 70.6
2022 187 11.1 16.7 76.5
2023 212 11.0 19.2 62.7

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 Forest Area Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $891 (8.1%) $10,100 (91.9%) $10,991
2020 $781 (5.2%) $14,238 (94.8%) $15,019
2021 $1,734 (15.8%) $9,240 (84.2%) $10,975
2022 $3,210 (25.1%) $9,598 (74.9%) $12,808
2023 $1,311 (10.2%) $11,503 (89.8%) $12,814

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Forest Area Middle 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 1040th of 1408 Elementary schoolsRanks 1337th of 1470 Elementary schools
 17.1%
Ranks 495th of 792 Middle schoolsRanks 545th of 883 Middle schools
 0.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
4th Grade English Language Arts (Forest Area Middle School)42.518.9
 23.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Forest Area Community Schools)42.518.9
 23.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.844.3
 1.5%
4th Grade Math (Forest Area Middle School)22.513.5
 9%
   4th Grade Math (Forest Area Community Schools)22.513.5
 9%
   4th Grade Math (Michigan)41.838.6
 3.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Forest Area Middle School)3113.5
 17.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Forest Area Community Schools)3113.5
 17.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)46.243.9
 2.3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Forest Area Middle School)35.711.1
 24.6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Forest Area Community Schools)35.711.1
 24.6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)41.737.6
 4.1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Forest Area Middle School)34.110.5
 23.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Forest Area Community Schools)34.110.5
 23.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)42.736.9
 5.8%
7th Grade Math (Forest Area Middle School)34.115.8
 18.3%
   7th Grade Math (Forest Area Community Schools)34.115.8
 18.3%
   7th Grade Math (Michigan)35.731
 4.7%
8th Grade Social Studies (Forest Area Middle School)22.621.2
 1.4%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Forest Area Community Schools)22.621.2
 1.4%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Michigan)2826.7
 1.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Forest Area Middle School)58.158.5
 0.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Forest Area Community Schools)58.158.5
 0.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)61.959.7
 2.2%
8th Grade Mathematics (Forest Area Middle School)38.726.4
 12.3%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Forest Area Community Schools)38.726.4
 12.3%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Michigan)41.436.3
 5.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students190212
 11.6%
African American35
 66.7%
American Indian21
 50%
Asian01
Hispanic62
 66.7%
Pacific Islander00
White178196
 10.1%
Two or More Races17
 600%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients76.3%62.7%
 13.6%


Schools Near Forest Area Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Forest Area Middle School

Forest Area Middle School ranks in the bottom 13.2% of Michigan middle schools.

Students at Forest Area Middle School are 92% White, 3% Two or more races, 2% African American.

Students who attend Forest Area Middle School usually go on to attend Forest Area High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 212 students attended Forest Area Middle 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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