Merrill Park Elementary School

Summary:

Merrill Park Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-6 in Saginaw, Michigan, with 321 students that are predominantly African American (47.04%) and Hispanic (23.36%). The school faces significant challenges, including consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, low test scores, and poor statewide rankings, particularly when compared to nearby schools.

Merrill Park Elementary has chronic absenteeism rates ranging from 50.7% to 78.9%, which is significantly higher than the 14.9% to 67.9% range of nearby schools. The school's test scores are also consistently lower than the Saginaw School District and the state of Michigan averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2023-2024, only 11.9% of 3rd graders at Merrill Park were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 18.5% in the district and 39.6% statewide. Additionally, Merrill Park Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom 10-15% of Michigan elementary schools, with a ranking of 1393 out of 1486 schools in 2023-2024.

While Merrill Park Elementary is part of the Saginaw School District, which has a low overall ranking, there are some nearby schools that perform significantly better, such as Handley School, a public magnet school in the district that ranks in the top 5 elementary schools in the state. Merrill Park Elementary's challenges may be attributed to factors such as its high percentage of students (over 98%) who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, as well as potential systemic issues or barriers that are disproportionately impacting students of color.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

 1800 Grout St
       Saginaw, MI  48602-1034


(989) 399-4800

District: Saginaw School District of the City of

SchoolDigger Rank:
1393rd of 1,486 Michigan Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $15,013 Help


Students who attend Merrill Park Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Thompson Middle School
High:    Arthur Hill High School
    Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy

Student/teacher ratio:  16.8 Help
Number of students:  321

Racial breakdown:

African American:
47.0%
Hispanic:
23.4%
White:
20.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  98.1% Help


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 Compare Merrill Park Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Merrill Park Elementary School ranks worse than 93.7% of elementary schools in Michigan. It also ranks 8th among 9 ranked elementary schools in the Saginaw School District of the City of. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 7.85. (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
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Compare Details Student population at Merrill Park Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (47%), Hispanic (23.4%), White (20.2%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 98.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Saginaw School District of the City of. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Merrill Park Elementary School is 16.8, which is the 4th best among 9 elementary schools in the Saginaw School District of the City of. (See more...)
Help
Compare Merrill Park Elementary School employs 19 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Merrill Park Elementary School is $15,013, which is the lowest among 10 elementary schools in the Saginaw School District of the City of!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Merrill Park Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Merrill Park Elementary School 1393rd of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Merrill Park Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Saginaw School District of the City of:

SchoolDigger ranks Saginaw School District of the City of 481st of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Merrill Park Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Merrill Park Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 56.88 805th 1545 47.9%
2007 38.83 1207th 1565 22.9%
2008 23.47 1386th 1577 12.1%
2009 14.61 1462nd 1589 8.0%
2010 10.56 1482nd 1552 4.5%
2011 18.32 1403rd 1552 9.6%
2012 7.67 1513th 1566 3.4%
2013 9.25 1464th 1563 6.3%
2014 12.45 1383rd 1533 9.8%
2015 19.95 1295th 1580 18.0%
2016 22.32 1215th 1548 21.5%
2017 19.17 1172nd 1466 20.1%
2018 24.05 1156th 1448 20.2%
2019 18.28 1161st 1408 17.5%
2022 5.44 1299th 1344 3.3%
2023 9.92 1315th 1470 10.5%
2024 7.85 1393rd 1486 6.3%
See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Merrill Park Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.12 922nd 1397 34.0%
2019 31.74 821st 1134 27.6%
2022 7.98 1053rd 1099 4.2%
2023 15.62 1170th 1350 13.3%
2024 10.91 1282nd 1381 7.2%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Merrill Park Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.49 1152nd 1443 20.2%
2023 9.25 1229th 1321 7.0%
2024 7.64 1278th 1342 4.8%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Merrill Park Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.23 1088th 1446 24.8%
2019 28.78 872nd 1196 27.1%
2023 8.86 1248th 1334 6.4%
2024 6.94 1290th 1347 4.2%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Merrill Park Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.84 169th 475 64.4%
2019 63.78 62nd 212 70.8%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for African American 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.

Merrill Park 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 Merrill Park Elementary School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 302 31 4 69 5 n/a n/a 0 411
1989 312 35 5 70 3 n/a n/a 0 425
1990 316 32 2 84 4 n/a n/a 0 438
1991 302 25 2 89 3 n/a n/a 2 423
1992 319 30 4 104 2 n/a n/a 0 459
1993 280 36 3 89 2 n/a n/a 0 410
1994 240 38 5 83 1 n/a n/a 0 367
1995 229 50 4 93 1 n/a n/a 0 377
1996 229 50 4 93 1 n/a n/a 0 377
1997 217 52 4 86 1 n/a n/a 0 360
1998 166 57 0 95 2 n/a n/a 0 320
1999 171 74 2 121 3 n/a n/a 0 371
2000 151 75 0 93 2 n/a n/a 31 352
2001 166 87 0 90 2 n/a n/a 0 345
2002 181 89 0 70 0 n/a n/a 0 340
2003 181 89 0 70 0 n/a n/a 0 340
2004 161 98 0 89 1 n/a n/a 0 349
2005 117 99 0 80 1 n/a n/a 0 297
2006 111 87 0 83 1 n/a n/a 0 282
2007 105 99 0 71 3 n/a n/a 0 278
2008 94 117 n/a 68 1 n/a n/a 0 280
2009 70 128 0 79 1 n/a n/a 0 278
2010 76 141 0 76 1 n/a n/a 0 294
2011 65 135 0 64 1 0 0 0 265
2012 57 115 0 57 0 0 0 0 229
2013 52 99 0 63 1 1 2 0 218
2014 67 113 1 63 1 3 3 0 251
2015 53 123 0 53 3 2 3 0 237
2016 56 133 0 64 1 2 10 0 266
2017 56 139 0 64 0 2 10 0 271
2018 62 133 0 67 0 4 10 0 276
2019 54 131 0 70 0 3 11 0 269
2020 52 123 0 60 0 4 11 0 250
2021 58 136 0 68 0 3 18 0 283
2022 48 148 0 74 2 2 28 0 302
2023 65 151 0 75 0 3 27 0 321

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 Merrill Park Elementary School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 411 n/a n/a n/a
1989 425 n/a n/a 30.8
1990 438 20.0 21.9 33.3
1991 423 n/a n/a n/a
1992 459 n/a n/a 48.8
1993 410 n/a 0.0 54.6
1994 367 18.9 19.4 52
1995 377 19.5 19.3 52.8
1996 377 19.5 19.3 52.8
1997 360 21.0 17.1 59.7
1998 320 21.0 15.2 76.9
1999 371 19.0 19.5 61.2
2000 352 19.0 16.9 82.6
2001 345 23.0 15.0 74.5
2002 340 21.0 16.2 77.1
2003 340 21.0 16.2 77.1
2004 349 19.0 18.4 88
2005 297 18.5 16.1 94.9
2006 282 16.0 17.6 97.9
2007 278 16.0 17.4 97.5
2008 280 16.0 17.5 82.9
2009 278 15.0 18.5 97.8
2010 294 15.0 19.5 95.6
2011 265 16.0 16.5 92.1
2012 229 15.0 15.2 90.8
2013 218 14.5 15.0 93.1
2014 251 17.0 14.7 94.4
2015 237 16.0 14.8 76.4
2016 266 17.0 15.6 85.7
2017 271 17.0 15.9 86.3
2018 276 16.0 17.2 95.3
2019 269 17.0 15.8 94.8
2020 250 17.0 14.7 96.8
2021 283 17.0 16.6 96.8
2022 302 18.0 16.7 94.7
2023 321 19.0 16.8 98.1

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 Merrill Park Elementary School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 411 n/a n/a n/a
1989 425 n/a n/a 30.8
1990 438 20.0 21.9 33.3
1991 423 n/a n/a n/a
1992 459 n/a n/a 48.8
1993 410 n/a 0.0 54.6
1994 367 18.9 19.4 52
1995 377 19.5 19.3 52.8
1996 377 19.5 19.3 52.8
1997 360 21.0 17.1 59.7
1998 320 21.0 15.2 76.9
1999 371 19.0 19.5 61.2
2000 352 19.0 16.9 82.6
2001 345 23.0 15.0 74.5
2002 340 21.0 16.2 77.1
2003 340 21.0 16.2 77.1
2004 349 19.0 18.4 88
2005 297 18.5 16.1 94.9
2006 282 16.0 17.6 97.9
2007 278 16.0 17.4 97.5
2008 280 16.0 17.5 82.9
2009 278 15.0 18.5 97.8
2010 294 15.0 19.5 95.6
2011 265 16.0 16.5 92.1
2012 229 15.0 15.2 90.8
2013 218 14.5 15.0 93.1
2014 251 17.0 14.7 94.4
2015 237 16.0 14.8 76.4
2016 266 17.0 15.6 85.7
2017 271 17.0 15.9 86.3
2018 276 16.0 17.2 95.3
2019 269 17.0 15.8 94.8
2020 250 17.0 14.7 96.8
2021 283 17.0 16.6 96.8
2022 302 18.0 16.7 94.7
2023 321 19.0 16.8 98.1

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 Merrill Park Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,933 (19.0%) $8,214 (81.0%) $10,147
2020 $1,959 (18.6%) $8,575 (81.4%) $10,534
2021 $3,133 (26.0%) $8,921 (74.0%) $12,054
2022 $7,621 (57.8%) $5,561 (42.2%) $13,183
2023 $7,795 (51.9%) $7,218 (48.1%) $15,013

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Merrill Park 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 1161st of 1408 Elementary schoolsRanks 1315th of 1470 Elementary schools
 7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Park Elementary School)19.47.4
 12%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Saginaw School District of the City of)24.216.4
 7.8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.140.9
 4.2%
3rd Grade Math (Merrill Park Elementary School)19.416.7
 2.7%
   3rd Grade Math (Saginaw School District of the City of)25.316.2
 9.1%
   3rd Grade Math (Michigan)46.742.9
 3.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Park Elementary School)21.215.8
 5.4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Saginaw School District of the City of)29.917.4
 12.5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.844.3
 1.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Park Elementary School)37.824.2
 13.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Saginaw School District of the City of)25.827
 1.2%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)46.243.9
 2.3%
5th Grade Math (Merrill Park Elementary School)2715.2
 11.8%
   5th Grade Math (Saginaw School District of the City of)16.214.2
 2%
   5th Grade Math (Michigan)34.831.5
 3.3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Park Elementary School)32.113.3
 18.8%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Saginaw School District of the City of)31.318.8
 12.5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)41.737.5
 4.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students269321
 19.3%
African American131151
 15.3%
American Indian00
Asian00
Hispanic7075
 7.1%
Pacific Islander33
White5465
 20.4%
Two or More Races1127
 145.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients94.8%98.1%
 3.3%


Schools Near Merrill Park Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Merrill Park Elementary School

Students at Merrill Park Elementary School are 47% African American, 23% Hispanic, 20% White, 8% Two or more races.

Merrill Park Elementary School ranks in the bottom 6.3% of Michigan elementary schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 321 students attended Merrill Park Elementary School.

Students who attend Merrill Park Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Thompson Middle School
High : Arthur Hill High School
High : Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy


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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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