Gaines Elementary School

Summary:

Gaines Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades K-5 in the Swartz Creek Community Schools district. With a relatively small student population of 119, the school faces several key challenges, including high chronic absenteeism, below-average academic performance, and declining statewide rankings.

Gaines Elementary has experienced chronic absenteeism rates as high as 46.4% in the 2021-2022 school year, significantly higher than the state average and the rates of nearby schools within the Swartz Creek district. Academically, the school's performance, as measured by M-Step test scores, is generally below the state and district averages, with only 23.5% of 3rd graders proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 34.2% for the Swartz Creek district and 39.6% statewide. Additionally, the school has a relatively high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, reaching 44.54% in the 2022-2023 school year, indicating a higher proportion of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.

Gaines Elementary's statewide ranking has steadily declined over the past decade, from a high of 277th out of 1,533 Michigan elementary schools in the 2013-2014 school year to its current ranking of 832nd out of 1,486 schools in the 2023-2024 school year. This suggests the school is struggling to keep pace with other elementary schools in the state, including nearby higher-performing schools such as Hyatt Elementary and Central Elementary in the Linden Community Schools district.


Detail:

Public K-5

 300 Lansing St
       Gaines, MI  48436-8926


(810) 591-1076

District: Swartz Creek Community Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
832nd of 1,486 Michigan Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,184 Help


Students who attend Gaines Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Swartz Creek Middle School
High:    Swartz Creek High School

Student/teacher ratio:  17.0 Help
Number of students:  119

Racial breakdown:

White:
89.1%
Two or more races:
5.0%
Hispanic:
4.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  44.5% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Gaines Elementary School ranks worse than 56% of elementary schools in Michigan. It also ranks first among 3 ranked elementary schools in the Swartz Creek Community Schools District! (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 41.23. (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
Help
Compare Details Gaines Elementary School has the smallest elementary school student body size in the Swartz Creek Community Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (89.1%), two or more races (5%), Hispanic (4.2%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 44.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Swartz Creek Community Schools District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Gaines Elementary School is 17, which is the 2nd best among 3 elementary schools in the Swartz Creek Community Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Gaines Elementary School employs 7 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Gaines Elementary School is $14,184, which is the 2nd highest among 3 elementary schools in the Swartz Creek Community Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Gaines Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Gaines Elementary School 832nd of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Gaines Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Swartz Creek Community Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Swartz Creek Community Schools 411th of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Gaines Elementary School?

Rank History for Gaines Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Gaines Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 71.54 404th 1545 73.9%
2007 81.73 157th 1565 90.0%
2008 84.32 87th 1577 94.5%
2009 81.23 169th 1589 89.4%
2010 81.21 107th 1552 93.1%
2011 74.69 357th 1552 77.0%
2012 62.38 575th 1566 63.3%
2013 63.03 575th 1563 63.2%
2014 78.82 277th 1533 81.9%
2015 79.21 281st 1580 82.2%
2016 74.92 330th 1548 78.7%
2017 56.17 565th 1466 61.5%
2018 46.64 841st 1448 41.9%
2019 53.09 617th 1408 56.2%
2022 36.52 816th 1344 39.3%
2023 34.01 934th 1470 36.5%
2024 41.23 832nd 1486 44.0%
See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.85 497th 1397 64.4%
2024 57.27 512th 1381 62.9%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Gaines Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.89 620th 1443 57.0%
2023 48.10 633rd 1321 52.1%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Gaines Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.67 1009th 1446 30.2%
2023 35.66 838th 1334 37.2%
2024 42.87 735th 1347 45.4%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Gaines Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.32 1002nd 1253 20.0%
2019 38.34 714th 1128 36.7%
2022 24.42 870th 1102 21.1%
2023 26.59 914th 1198 23.7%
2024 32.87 824th 1204 31.6%
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.

Gaines Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Saturday, December 26, 2015

Open Quote We have been in Gaines elementary school since 2011. We cannot say enough great things about this school. everyone is a family who look out for your children as if they were their own. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Gaines 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 247 1 3 3 28 n/a n/a 0 282
1989 240 0 3 0 36 n/a n/a 0 279
1990 233 0 1 3 33 n/a n/a 0 270
1991 253 1 1 5 20 n/a n/a 0 280
1992 257 0 2 3 20 n/a n/a 0 282
1993 269 2 1 3 29 n/a n/a 0 304
1994 272 1 0 1 26 n/a n/a 0 300
1995 271 1 0 1 12 n/a n/a 0 285
1996 271 1 0 1 12 n/a n/a 0 285
1997 288 1 1 2 10 n/a n/a 0 302
1998 293 1 1 2 13 n/a n/a 0 310
1999 288 1 0 3 5 n/a n/a 0 297
2000 279 0 1 2 7 n/a n/a 0 289
2001 285 0 0 2 2 n/a n/a 0 289
2002 267 1 0 6 4 n/a n/a 0 278
2003 267 1 0 6 4 n/a n/a 0 278
2004 262 2 0 5 4 n/a n/a 0 273
2005 262 2 0 5 5 n/a n/a 0 274
2006 276 3 1 6 2 n/a n/a 0 288
2007 270 2 1 5 2 n/a n/a 0 280
2008 256 2 1 3 3 n/a n/a 3 268
2009 261 1 1 4 3 n/a n/a 6 276
2010 233 0 1 3 2 n/a n/a 5 244
2011 224 0 2 3 2 0 9 0 240
2012 229 3 2 3 1 0 10 0 248
2013 219 3 1 9 1 1 8 0 242
2014 210 2 1 7 1 0 6 0 227
2015 183 3 1 9 1 0 3 0 200
2016 167 3 1 7 1 0 3 0 182
2017 150 1 1 9 1 0 5 0 167
2018 139 1 0 13 0 0 8 0 161
2019 122 2 0 8 0 0 7 0 139
2020 120 1 0 6 0 0 7 0 134
2021 111 3 0 7 0 0 2 0 123
2022 121 3 0 4 1 0 2 0 131
2023 106 2 0 5 0 0 6 0 119

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 Gaines Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 282 n/a n/a n/a
1989 279 n/a n/a 5.4
1990 270 20.0 13.5 8.5
1991 280 n/a n/a n/a
1992 282 n/a n/a n/a
1993 304 n/a 0.0 0
1994 300 13.8 21.7 16
1995 285 14.5 19.7 9.5
1996 285 14.5 19.7 9.5
1997 302 15.0 20.1 11.3
1998 310 15.0 20.7 12.9
1999 297 16.0 18.6 12.1
2000 289 16.0 18.1 13.5
2001 289 16.0 18.1 16.6
2002 278 17.8 15.6 18
2003 278 17.8 15.6 18
2004 273 17.3 15.8 18.3
2005 274 17.0 16.1 19.3
2006 288 15.8 18.2 18.8
2007 280 15.3 18.3 22.9
2008 268 16.3 16.4 24.9
2009 276 16.1 17.1 31.5
2010 244 15.1 16.1 38.1
2011 240 15.0 16.0 33.3
2012 248 15.5 16.0 39.5
2013 242 13.8 17.5 40.1
2014 227 12.3 18.4 43.6
2015 200 11.0 18.1 40.5
2016 182 10.0 18.2 34.6
2017 167 10.1 16.4 37.1
2018 161 8.5 18.9 49.1
2019 139 8.6 16.1 52.5
2020 134 5.2 25.7 47
2021 123 5.2 23.6 38.2
2022 131 7.4 17.7 35.1
2023 119 7.0 17.0 44.5

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 Gaines Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 282 n/a n/a n/a
1989 279 n/a n/a 5.4
1990 270 20.0 13.5 8.5
1991 280 n/a n/a n/a
1992 282 n/a n/a n/a
1993 304 n/a 0.0 0
1994 300 13.8 21.7 16
1995 285 14.5 19.7 9.5
1996 285 14.5 19.7 9.5
1997 302 15.0 20.1 11.3
1998 310 15.0 20.7 12.9
1999 297 16.0 18.6 12.1
2000 289 16.0 18.1 13.5
2001 289 16.0 18.1 16.6
2002 278 17.8 15.6 18
2003 278 17.8 15.6 18
2004 273 17.3 15.8 18.3
2005 274 17.0 16.1 19.3
2006 288 15.8 18.2 18.8
2007 280 15.3 18.3 22.9
2008 268 16.3 16.4 24.9
2009 276 16.1 17.1 31.5
2010 244 15.1 16.1 38.1
2011 240 15.0 16.0 33.3
2012 248 15.5 16.0 39.5
2013 242 13.8 17.5 40.1
2014 227 12.3 18.4 43.6
2015 200 11.0 18.1 40.5
2016 182 10.0 18.2 34.6
2017 167 10.1 16.4 37.1
2018 161 8.5 18.9 49.1
2019 139 8.6 16.1 52.5
2020 134 5.2 25.7 47
2021 123 5.2 23.6 38.2
2022 131 7.4 17.7 35.1
2023 119 7.0 17.0 44.5

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 Gaines Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $741 (6.5%) $10,631 (93.5%) $11,372
2020 $873 (7.8%) $10,289 (92.2%) $11,162
2021 $933 (9.1%) $9,332 (90.9%) $10,265
2022 $859 (8.0%) $9,886 (92.0%) $10,745
2023 $1,273 (9.0%) $12,911 (91.0%) $14,184

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Gaines 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 617th of 1408 Elementary schoolsRanks 934th of 1470 Elementary schools
 19.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Gaines Elementary School)36.833.3
 3.5%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Swartz Creek Community Schools)44.934
 10.9%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.141.6
 3.5%
3rd Grade Math (Gaines Elementary School)57.923.1
 34.8%
   3rd Grade Math (Swartz Creek Community Schools)42.531.2
 11.3%
   3rd Grade Math (Michigan)46.742.9
 3.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Gaines Elementary School)6541.4
 23.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Swartz Creek Community Schools)45.532.9
 12.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)45.844.3
 1.5%
4th Grade Math (Gaines Elementary School)3024.1
 5.9%
   4th Grade Math (Swartz Creek Community Schools)26.920
 6.9%
   4th Grade Math (Michigan)41.838.6
 3.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Gaines Elementary School)5036.4
 13.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Swartz Creek Community Schools)50.438.6
 11.8%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)46.243.9
 2.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students139119
 14.4%
African American22
American Indian00
Asian00
Hispanic85
 37.5%
Pacific Islander00
White122106
 13.1%
Two or More Races76
 14.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients52.5%44.5%
 8%


Schools Near Gaines Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Gaines Elementary School

In the 2022-23 school year, 119 students attended Gaines Elementary School.

Gaines Elementary School ranks 832nd of 1486 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

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

Middle : Swartz Creek Middle School
High : Swartz Creek High School

Students at Gaines Elementary School are 89% White, 5% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic, 2% African American.


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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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