Kalkaska Elementary School

Q: Is Kalkaska Elementary School a good school?

Kalkaska Elementary School ranks 813 th of 1486 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Kalkaska Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 354 students in grades PK-5 in Kalkaska, Michigan. The school is part of the Kalkaska Public Schools district, which is ranked 323 out of 610 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Kalkaska Elementary School performs well on 3rd-grade assessments, with test scores above the state average, the school faces several key challenges. Chronic absenteeism rates have sharply increased, rising from 10.9% in 2018-2019 to 45.3% in 2021-2022, which is notably higher than the state average and the rates of nearby schools like Cherry Knoll Elementary School and John R Rodger Elementary School. Additionally, 4th and 5th-grade test scores are generally below state and district averages, with particularly low 5th-grade Social Studies scores.

Kalkaska Elementary School also serves a population with greater economic challenges, with 64.63% to 80.05% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in recent years, significantly higher than the nearby Traverse City Area Public Schools and Elk Rapids Schools districts. While the school has seen a steady increase in per-student spending, from $11,160 in 2019-2020 to $15,087 in 2022-2023, this has not yet translated into consistently strong academic performance, raising questions about the effective allocation of resources.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

309 N Birch St
Kalkaska, MI 49646-8263

(231) 258-8629

District: Kalkaska Public Schools

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,087

Students who attend Kalkaska Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Kalkaska Middle School
High:	Kalkaska High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.8

Number of students: 354

Racial breakdown:

White:

96.3%

Hispanic:

2.0%

African American:

0.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 71.8%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Kalkaska Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Kalkaska Elementary School ranks worse than 54.7% of elementary schools in Michigan. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 42.32. (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 Racial makeup is: White (96.3%), Hispanic (2%), Asian (0.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 71.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Kalkaska Elementary School is 11.8. (See more...)

Compare Kalkaska Elementary School employs 29.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Kalkaska Elementary School is $15,087.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Kalkaska Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Kalkaska Elementary School 813^th of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Kalkaska 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:

Kalkaska Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Kalkaska Public Schools 323^rd of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Kalkaska Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Kalkaska Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2006	38.39	1208^th	1545	21.8%
2007	16.96	1440^th	1565	8.0%
2008	44.07	1140^th	1577	27.7%
2009	50.80	1043^rd	1589	34.4%
2024	42.32	813^th	1486	45.3%

See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	47.95	667^th	1381	51.7%

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

Rank History for Female students at Kalkaska Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	34.13	863^rd	1342	35.7%

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

Rank History for Male students at Kalkaska Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	41.20	763^rd	1347	43.4%

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

Rank History for White students at Kalkaska Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	28.47	882^nd	1204	26.7%

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.

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Kalkaska Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	547	0	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	548
1989	571	2	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	574
1990	537	3	0	0	4	n/a	n/a	544
1991	561	2	0	1	4	n/a	n/a	568
1992	538	2	1	1	4	n/a	n/a	546
1993	569	1	1	1	5	n/a	n/a	577
1994	506	1	1	2	5	n/a	n/a	515
1995	546	1	0	3	5	n/a	n/a	555
1996	546	1	0	3	5	n/a	n/a	555
1997	517	1	2	2	2	n/a	n/a	524
1998	507	3	2	1	5	n/a	n/a	518
1999	495	4	1	3	2	n/a	n/a	505
2000	475	3	1	0	1	n/a	n/a	480
2001	445	4	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	450
2002	398	2	4	5	20	n/a	n/a	429
2003	398	2	4	5	20	n/a	n/a	429
2004	396	1	4	2	20	n/a	n/a	423
2005	385	2	3	1	14	n/a	n/a	405
2006	432	0	3	2	7	n/a	n/a	444
2007	469	1	3	2	3	n/a	n/a	478
2008	378	4	1	1	2	n/a	n/a	386
2009	391	3	1	0	2	n/a	n/a	397
2010	362	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	364
2011	359	1	1	3	1	1	4	370
2012	385	1	1	11	0	0	9	407
2013	422	0	1	9	0	0	6	438
2014	403	1	1	14	0	1	5	425
2015	415	3	2	18	0	0	4	442
2016	389	1	2	13	0	0	5	410
2017	355	3	0	13	1	0	3	375
2018	357	4	0	10	0	0	2	373
2019	357	2	0	9	2	0	0	370
2020	370	1	0	11	1	0	2	385
2021	361	1	1	7	0	0	1	371
2022	313	2	2	9	0	0	2	328
2023	341	2	2	7	0	0	2	354

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 Kalkaska Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	548	n/a	n/a	n/a
1989	574	n/a	n/a	28
1990	544	42.0	12.9	27.8
1991	568	n/a	n/a	n/a
1992	546	n/a	n/a	n/a
1993	577	n/a	0.0	0
1994	515	30.0	17.2	30.9
1995	555	32.5	17.1	33.2
1996	555	32.5	17.1	33.2
1997	524	32.0	16.4	30
1998	518	27.0	19.2	29.5
1999	505	27.0	18.7	31.9
2000	480	26.4	18.2	42.9
2001	450	26.9	16.7	47.3
2002	429	n/a	n/a	56.2
2003	429	n/a	n/a	56.2
2004	423	27.5	15.4	52
2005	405	27.3	14.8	51.9
2006	444	20.9	21.2	52.9
2007	478	22.2	21.5	51.9
2008	386	26.9	14.3	65.3
2009	397	26.8	14.8	77.1
2010	364	28.7	12.6	64.6
2011	370	27.2	13.6	54.1
2012	407	27.8	14.6	69.8
2013	438	28.3	15.4	64.4
2014	425	29.9	14.2	48.9
2015	442	29.0	15.2	50.2
2016	410	27.0	15.1	51.5
2017	375	27.1	13.8	62.1
2018	373	26.1	14.2	67
2019	370	26.8	13.8	66.5
2020	385	26.8	14.3	66
2021	371	27.8	13.3	80.1
2022	328	26.0	12.6	64.6
2023	354	29.8	11.8	71.8

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 Kalkaska Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	548	n/a	n/a	n/a
1989	574	n/a	n/a	28
1990	544	42.0	12.9	27.8
1991	568	n/a	n/a	n/a
1992	546	n/a	n/a	n/a
1993	577	n/a	0.0	0
1994	515	30.0	17.2	30.9
1995	555	32.5	17.1	33.2
1996	555	32.5	17.1	33.2
1997	524	32.0	16.4	30
1998	518	27.0	19.2	29.5
1999	505	27.0	18.7	31.9
2000	480	26.4	18.2	42.9
2001	450	26.9	16.7	47.3
2002	429	n/a	n/a	56.2
2003	429	n/a	n/a	56.2
2004	423	27.5	15.4	52
2005	405	27.3	14.8	51.9
2006	444	20.9	21.2	52.9
2007	478	22.2	21.5	51.9
2008	386	26.9	14.3	65.3
2009	397	26.8	14.8	77.1
2010	364	28.7	12.6	64.6
2011	370	27.2	13.6	54.1
2012	407	27.8	14.6	69.8
2013	438	28.3	15.4	64.4
2014	425	29.9	14.2	48.9
2015	442	29.0	15.2	50.2
2016	410	27.0	15.1	51.5
2017	375	27.1	13.8	62.1
2018	373	26.1	14.2	67
2019	370	26.8	13.8	66.5
2020	385	26.8	14.3	66
2021	371	27.8	13.3	80.1
2022	328	26.0	12.6	64.6
2023	354	29.8	11.8	71.8

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 Kalkaska Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,324 (12.5%)	$9,234 (87.5%)	$10,558
2020	$1,125 (10.1%)	$10,035 (89.9%)	$11,160
2021	$1,728 (14.5%)	$10,188 (85.5%)	$11,916
2022	$1,997 (13.9%)	$12,383 (86.1%)	$14,380
2023	$1,997 (13.2%)	$13,090 (86.8%)	$15,087

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Kalkaska 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 (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Kalkaska Elementary School)	51.6	50.6	1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Kalkaska Public Schools)	46.2	43.5	2.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.1	40.9	4.2%
3rd Grade Math (Kalkaska Elementary School)	49.5	50	0.5%
3rd Grade Math (Kalkaska Public Schools)	45.2	42.9	2.3%
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	370	354	4.3%
African American	2	2
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	0	2
Hispanic	9	7	22.2%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	357	341	4.5%
Two or More Races	0	2
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	66.5%	71.8%	5.3%

Schools Near Kalkaska Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				PSAT Mathematics (2024)	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	PSAT Mathematics 8th Grade	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 Math 7th Grade	M-Step Science 5th Grade	M-Step Science 8th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Kalkaska Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	309 N Birch St	Kalkaska	49646	Kalkaska County	Kalkaska Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 258-8629	354	30	11.8	71.8%	341 (96.3%)	2 (0.6%)	7 (2.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	42.3	813^th of 1486 public elementary schools	45.3%					(n/a)		43.0	24.7	41.8		52.3	23.3	19.0			45.6		17.7		$15,087	$1,997	$13,090
Crawford School	Public	K-8	5521 M 72 E	Kalkaska	49646	Kalkaska County	Excelsior Township S/D #1	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 258-2934	45	2	22.5	66.7%	42 (93.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)															$12,518	$3,114	$9,404
Rapid City Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5258 River Rd	Rapid City	49676	Kalkaska County	Kalkaska Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 331-6121	96	7	12.9	92.7%	89 (92.7%)	1 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (5.2%)	36.9	906^th of 1486 public elementary schools	39.0%		34.1	932^nd of 1470 public elementary schools	36.6%	26		25.0	41.7	35.0		33.3		30.0			35.0				$18,837	$3,196	$15,641
Mill Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	9039 Old M 72	Williamsburg	49690	Grand Traverse County	Elk Rapids Schools	No	No	No	No	(231) 267-9955	249	15	17.1	27.7%	219 (88.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (6.0%)	3 (1.2%)	5 (2.0%)	1 (0.4%)	6 (2.4%)	74.6	332^nd of 1486 public elementary schools	77.7%		81.3	238^th of 1470 public elementary schools	83.8%	94		52.9	68.8	55.2		61.8	45.8	44.8			55.2		24.1		$00	$00	$00
Woodland School	Public, Charter	K-8	7224 Supply Rd	Traverse City	49696	Grand Traverse County	Woodland School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(231) 947-7474	206	14	14.9	30.1%	195 (94.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.9%)	64.5	490^th of 1486 public elementary schools	67.0%		75.1	324^th of 1470 public elementary schools	78.0%	166	47.1	36.4	58.3	48.0	65.4	63.6	58.3	24.0	38.5	84.2	56.0	55.6	12.0	33.3	$9,107	$657	$8,450
Mancelona Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	231 W Limits St	Mancelona	49659	Antrim County	Mancelona Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 587-8661	328	20	16.4	75.3%	315 (96.0%)	2 (0.6%)	5 (1.5%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.2%)	23.6	1107^th of 1486 public elementary schools	25.5%		15	1237^th of 1470 public elementary schools	15.9%	130		21.3	25.0			36.1	25.0								$14,296	$2,803	$11,494
Fife Lake Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	108 Pierce St	Fife Lake	49633	Kalkaska County	Forest Area Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 879-3362	145	12	11.9	65.5%	106 (73.1%)	3 (2.1%)	4 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (13.1%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (9.0%)								(n/a)		30.8				30.0									$16,570	$4,759	$11,811
Lakeland Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	616 Buckley St	Elk Rapids	49629	Antrim County	Elk Rapids Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 264-8289	313	19	16.9	41.9%	288 (92.0%)	2 (0.6%)	11 (3.5%)	1 (0.3%)	7 (2.2%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (1.0%)	80.4	243^rd of 1486 public elementary schools	83.6%		74.8	328^th of 1470 public elementary schools	77.7%	85		48.9	71.2	59.6		53.2	59.0	51.9			59.6		30.8		$00	$00	$00
Courtade Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1111 Rasho Rd	Traverse City	49696	Grand Traverse County	Traverse City Area Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 933-5800	218	14	15.8	46.3%	191 (87.6%)	1 (0.5%)	8 (3.7%)	4 (1.8%)	7 (3.2%)	1 (0.5%)	6 (2.8%)	72.9	359^th of 1486 public elementary schools	75.8%		69.2	406^th of 1470 public elementary schools	72.4%	47		73.9	51.3	61.3		67.4	25.6	41.9			64.5		25.8		$16,115	$1,211	$14,904
John R Rodger Elementary School	Public	K-5	6535 John R Rodgers Rd	Bellaire	49615	Antrim County	Bellaire Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(231) 533-8916	113	8	14.4	48.7%	107 (94.7%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.8%)	39.8	851^st of 1486 public elementary schools	42.7%		50.8	681^st of 1470 public elementary schools	53.7%	170		44.4	27.3	43.8		44.4	18.2	25.0			43.8				$24,034	$3,737	$20,297

Frequently Asked Questions about Kalkaska Elementary School

Is Kalkaska Elementary School a good school?

Kalkaska Elementary School ranks 813^th of 1486 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Kalkaska Elementary School in?

Kalkaska Public Schools

How many students attend Kalkaska Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 354 students attended Kalkaska Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Kalkaska Elementary School?

Students at Kalkaska Elementary School are 96% White, 2% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Kalkaska Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Kalkaska Middle School
High : Kalkaska High 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.