Meridian Elementary School

Summary:

Meridian Elementary School is a public elementary school in Sanford, Michigan, serving 543 students in grades PK-4. The school is part of the Midland Public Schools district, which is ranked 245 out of 610 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating.

Meridian Elementary School stands out for its strong academic performance, particularly in English Language Arts and Math. The school consistently outperforms the state average in 3rd and 4th-grade M-Step proficiency, with 42.6% of 3rd-graders proficient in ELA compared to the state average of 39.6%, and 56.4% proficient in Math compared to 43.4% statewide. This academic success is notable given the school's relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 49.81% to 54.7% over the past three years. Meridian Elementary also has a significantly higher percentage of white students (91.53%) compared to the state average and nearby schools like Coleman Elementary School and Floyd School, which have lower proficiency rates.

While Meridian Elementary's academic performance is generally better than nearby schools, it still lags behind some of the top-performing magnet schools in the Midland Public Schools district, such as Siebert Elementary and Woodcrest Elementary, which have significantly higher proficiency rates. Meridian Elementary has also experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 11.3% in 2019-2020 to 61.7% in 2020-2021, though the school has shown improvement, with the rate decreasing to 18.8% in 2022-2023.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

 3353 N Meridian Rd
       Sanford, MI  48657-9161


(989) 687-3500

District: Meridian Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
492nd of 1,486 Michigan Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,728 Help


Students who attend Meridian Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Meridian Junior High School
High:    Meridian Early College High School

Student/teacher ratio:  16.8 Help
Number of students:  543

Racial breakdown:

White:
91.5%
Two or more races:
4.2%
Hispanic:
3.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  54.7% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Meridian Elementary School ranks better than 66.9% of elementary schools in Michigan. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 64.39. (See more...)
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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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (91.5%), two or more races (4.2%), Hispanic (3.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 54.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Meridian Elementary School is 16.8. (See more...)
Help
Compare Meridian Elementary School employs 32.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Meridian Elementary School is $13,728.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Meridian Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Meridian Elementary School 492nd of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Meridian 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:


Meridian Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Meridian Public Schools 245th of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Meridian Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Meridian Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 52.70 912th 1545 41.0%
2007 53.67 919th 1565 41.3%
2008 53.93 940th 1577 40.4%
2009 58.21 841st 1589 47.1%
2010 43.56 1176th 1552 24.2%
2011 49.65 1003rd 1552 35.4%
2012 32.95 1182nd 1566 24.5%
2013 31.04 1175th 1563 24.8%
2014 42.26 973rd 1533 36.5%
2015 28.53 1183rd 1580 25.1%
2016 22.63 1211th 1548 21.8%
2017 18.80 1176th 1466 19.8%
2018 43.47 893rd 1448 38.3%
2019 28.70 998th 1408 29.1%
2021 50.40 510th 1153 55.8%
2022 51.98 595th 1344 55.7%
2023 61.92 521st 1470 64.6%
2024 64.39 492nd 1486 66.9%
See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Meridian Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.65 348th 403 13.6%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.20 904th 1397 35.3%
2019 25.55 905th 1134 20.2%
2021 49.56 352nd 749 53.0%
2022 46.45 551st 1099 49.9%
2023 68.91 301st 1350 77.7%
2024 55.69 536th 1381 61.2%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Meridian Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.70 908th 1443 37.1%
2019 22.20 951st 1171 18.8%
2021 44.51 478th 902 47.0%
2022 40.06 642nd 1106 42.0%
2023 66.68 356th 1321 73.1%
2024 62.88 418th 1342 68.9%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Meridian Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.00 833rd 1446 42.4%
2019 25.67 920th 1196 23.1%
2021 47.06 452nd 915 50.6%
2022 50.94 538th 1139 52.8%
2023 51.02 614th 1334 54.0%
2024 56.86 543rd 1347 59.7%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Meridian Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.83 969th 1253 22.7%
2019 17.21 1001st 1128 11.3%
2021 42.57 570th 1005 43.3%
2022 40.49 660th 1102 40.1%
2023 50.98 569th 1198 52.5%
2024 51.38 561st 1204 53.4%
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.

Meridian 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 Meridian 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 408 1 0 5 1 n/a n/a 0 415
1989 336 3 0 5 1 n/a n/a 0 345
1990 455 0 1 6 0 n/a n/a 0 462
1991 447 0 1 5 0 n/a n/a 0 453
1992 488 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 488
1993 424 1 1 8 1 n/a n/a 0 435
1994 430 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 430
1995 439 2 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 441
1996 439 2 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 441
1997 472 3 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 476
1998 438 3 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 443
1999 413 1 0 5 0 n/a n/a 0 419
2000 391 2 0 6 0 n/a n/a 0 399
2001 378 0 0 6 1 n/a n/a 0 385
2002 367 0 0 3 2 n/a n/a 0 372
2003 367 0 0 3 2 n/a n/a 0 372
2004 419 4 1 5 1 n/a n/a 0 430
2005 395 4 1 5 1 n/a n/a 0 406
2006 431 8 1 5 1 n/a n/a 0 446
2007 488 4 2 6 1 n/a n/a 0 501
2008 490 4 n/a 2 1 n/a n/a 0 497
2009 464 9 1 7 1 n/a n/a 0 482
2010 502 3 2 4 1 n/a n/a 0 512
2011 505 4 2 2 0 0 0 0 513
2012 469 5 3 1 0 0 0 0 478
2013 482 7 3 4 0 0 0 0 496
2014 444 7 3 5 0 0 0 0 459
2015 456 4 2 4 0 0 0 0 466
2016 450 4 1 2 0 0 1 0 458
2017 443 4 3 8 1 0 1 0 460
2018 437 2 1 10 1 0 12 0 463
2019 443 2 1 14 1 0 14 0 475
2020 459 1 0 16 1 0 22 0 499
2021 442 0 0 18 1 0 23 0 484
2022 486 3 0 21 0 0 20 0 530
2023 497 4 0 19 0 0 23 0 543

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 Meridian Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 415 n/a n/a n/a
1989 345 n/a n/a 28.4
1990 462 28.0 16.5 19
1991 453 n/a n/a n/a
1992 488 n/a n/a n/a
1993 435 n/a 0.0 33.8
1994 430 20.0 21.5 32.3
1995 441 23.3 18.9 36.5
1996 441 23.3 18.9 36.5
1997 476 24.0 19.8 34.5
1998 443 24.0 18.5 35.7
1999 419 24.0 17.5 31.7
2000 399 24.1 16.6 35.6
2001 385 23.8 16.2 36.4
2002 372 5.8 64.1 33.3
2003 372 5.8 64.1 33.3
2004 430 22.2 19.4 34.2
2005 406 21.6 18.8 36.2
2006 446 24.9 17.9 37.7
2007 501 31.0 16.2 39.9
2008 497 27.5 18.1 37
2009 482 27.7 17.4 40.5
2010 512 32.1 15.9 46.5
2011 513 28.3 18.0 48.1
2012 478 27.3 17.4 48.7
2013 496 27.3 18.1 53.2
2014 459 26.6 17.2 50.5
2015 466 24.0 19.4 56.4
2016 458 28.0 16.3 50.9
2017 460 29.2 15.7 50.2
2018 463 27.8 16.6 54.6
2019 475 27.4 17.3 53.5
2020 499 28.8 17.3 52.3
2021 484 27.2 17.7 50
2022 530 29.7 17.8 49.8
2023 543 32.2 16.8 54.7

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 Meridian Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 415 n/a n/a n/a
1989 345 n/a n/a 28.4
1990 462 28.0 16.5 19
1991 453 n/a n/a n/a
1992 488 n/a n/a n/a
1993 435 n/a 0.0 33.8
1994 430 20.0 21.5 32.3
1995 441 23.3 18.9 36.5
1996 441 23.3 18.9 36.5
1997 476 24.0 19.8 34.5
1998 443 24.0 18.5 35.7
1999 419 24.0 17.5 31.7
2000 399 24.1 16.6 35.6
2001 385 23.8 16.2 36.4
2002 372 5.8 64.1 33.3
2003 372 5.8 64.1 33.3
2004 430 22.2 19.4 34.2
2005 406 21.6 18.8 36.2
2006 446 24.9 17.9 37.7
2007 501 31.0 16.2 39.9
2008 497 27.5 18.1 37
2009 482 27.7 17.4 40.5
2010 512 32.1 15.9 46.5
2011 513 28.3 18.0 48.1
2012 478 27.3 17.4 48.7
2013 496 27.3 18.1 53.2
2014 459 26.6 17.2 50.5
2015 466 24.0 19.4 56.4
2016 458 28.0 16.3 50.9
2017 460 29.2 15.7 50.2
2018 463 27.8 16.6 54.6
2019 475 27.4 17.3 53.5
2020 499 28.8 17.3 52.3
2021 484 27.2 17.7 50
2022 530 29.7 17.8 49.8
2023 543 32.2 16.8 54.7

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 Meridian Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $926 (8.2%) $10,404 (91.8%) $11,330
2020 $1,000 (8.9%) $10,222 (91.1%) $11,222
2021 $1,454 (12.8%) $9,937 (87.2%) $11,390
2022 $1,410 (11.2%) $11,231 (88.8%) $12,641
2023 $1,418 (10.3%) $12,310 (89.7%) $13,728

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Meridian 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 998th of 1408 Elementary schoolsRanks 521st of 1470 Elementary schools
 35.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Meridian Elementary School)3152.3
 21.3%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Meridian Public Schools)3152.3
 21.3%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.140.9
 4.2%
3rd Grade Math (Meridian Elementary School)5060
 10%
   3rd Grade Math (Meridian Public Schools)5060
 10%
   3rd Grade Math (Michigan)46.742.9
 3.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Meridian Elementary School)34.944.2
 9.3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Meridian Public Schools)34.944.2
 9.3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.844.3
 1.5%
4th Grade Math (Meridian Elementary School)24.535.1
 10.6%
   4th Grade Math (Meridian Public Schools)24.535.1
 10.6%
   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 Students475543
 14.3%
African American24
 100%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian10
 100%
Hispanic1419
 35.7%
Pacific Islander00
White443497
 12.2%
Two or More Races1423
 64.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients53.5%54.7%
 1.2%


Schools Near Meridian Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Meridian Elementary School

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

Middle : Meridian Junior High School
High : Meridian Early College High School

Students at Meridian Elementary School are 92% White, 4% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic.

In the 2022-23 school year, 543 students attended Meridian Elementary School.

Meridian Elementary School ranks 492nd of 1486 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.


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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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