Bendle Public Schools, MI

Original Research by School Decision on Bendle Public Schools

Bendle Public Schools is a small, single-community district serving pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade in Burton, within Genesee County. It operates four schools: West Bendle Elementary, South Bendle Elementary, Bendle Middle School, and Bendle High School. The district's enrollment is modest, with roughly even class sizes from kindergarten through the upper grades. The student body is predominantly white, with a meaningful share of students identifying as two or more races, along with smaller Black and Hispanic populations. Free-or-reduced-price lunch data, special education rates, and English learner figures were not available in the data we received, so we cannot characterize the district's economic need or special-population composition from what is here.

State assessment results from the most recent year show a district struggling to move students to proficiency, particularly in math. Across the elementary and middle grades, math proficiency starts at a moderate level in the earliest tested grades but drops sharply by the upper elementary and middle school years, reaching very low levels in several grades. English language arts follows a different pattern, with stronger results in fourth and fifth grades and a standout eighth-grade result that approaches proficiency for nearly half of tested students. Science and social studies proficiency remain low across the tested grades. Taken together, the district's overall proficiency sits below the midpoint among Genesee County's districts, and a parent evaluating academic outcomes may want to look into this further with the school, especially regarding the decline in math performance as students move through the middle grades.

Chronic absenteeism is a concern the data makes plain. The district's rate is above the county median, meaning a substantial share of students miss enough school to be flagged as chronically absent. This is the kind of figure that can depress proficiency on its own, and it may reflect community-level challenges the district is working to address. We searched for recent district-level changes or initiatives that might speak to how Bendle is responding to these patterns, but found little of lasting impact in publicly reported material, so we left that out rather than guess.

On the resource side, Bendle spends above the county median on a per-pupil basis, placing in the upper range among Genesee County's districts. That level of investment does not yet appear to be translating into proficiency gains in the tested grades, at least not in the most recent results. Graduation rate data was not available in this dataset, so we cannot speak to how well the district moves students through to completion at the high school level.

The housing market in the district's zip code is very affordable relative to both the state and the broader county. Home values sit well below the state benchmark, and rents are low. For families, this means entry into homeownership or rental is accessible on a modest income. The broader Genesee County housing market has seen recent increases in both active and new listings, with median listing prices climbing year over year, though homes are still moving at a moderate pace. Within the county, demand and supply scores suggest a market that is active but not overheated.

No data was available on course access, staffing ratios, discipline, Title I status, or program offerings such as AP, dual enrollment, or career pathways. Without these pieces, it is hard to say how rich the academic pathway is for a Bendle high schooler or what supports exist beyond the standard curriculum. A parent considering this district would benefit from asking directly about those offerings, the high school graduation and post-secondary outcomes, and what the district is doing to address both the absenteeism rate and the proficiency slide in the middle grades.

What the data does make clear is that Bendle is a small, close-knit district in an affordable community, investing at a relatively high level per student, with academic results that have not yet caught up to that investment. For a family drawn to a smaller district where their child will be known, in a housing market that is financially accessible, Bendle may be worth a closer look. The questions to bring to the district are direct ones about math instruction, attendance interventions, and what the high school experience looks like in practice.

See more original research from School Decision →

District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,032

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 8%

Black 9%

White 72%

Asian 0%

Two+ 10%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

27%

—

Gr 4

37%

—

Gr 5

32%

—

Gr 6

—

Gr 7

22%

—

Gr 8

43%

—

Math

Gr 3

25%

—

Gr 4

30%

—

Gr 5

13%

—

Gr 7

—

Science

Gr 5

18%

—

Gr 8

13%

—

Social studies

Gr 5

—

Gr 8

14%

—

Schools in this District

4 schools are officially reported under this district.

Bendle High School

South Bendle Elementary School

Bendle Middle School

West Bendle Elementary School

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

4 grades reported

25%

Grade 3

27%

Grade 4

14%

Grade 5

Grade 7

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

26%

Grade 3

36%

Grade 4

33%

Grade 5

Grade 6

20%

Grade 7

45%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

19%

Grade 5

13%

Grade 8

Social Studies

2 grades reported

10%

Grade 5

15%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$92,980

Year-over-year change+2.9%

vs. state typical0.35x

vs. national typical0.25x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
48529	Burton	$93K	+2.9%	100.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$875/mo

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
48529	Burton	$875	—	100.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$469/mo

Home price / national median income1.1x

Annual rent / national median income12.5%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$406/mo

Market Activity: Genesee County

Median listing price$219,900

Median listing price YoY+16.4%

Median price per sq ft$146

Median price per sq ft YoY+10.6%

Median days on market46.0 days

Median days on market YoY-11.5%

Active listings858

Active listings YoY+5.5%

New listings560

New listings YoY+5.3%

Pending listings639

Pending listings YoY+2.4%

Hotness: median listing price$199,900

Hotness: median listing price YoY+25.4%

Supply score61.8

Supply score YoY+44.4%

Demand score66.2

Demand score YoY+2.5%

Median listing price (12 months)

Median price per sq ft (12 months)

Median days on market (12 months)

Active listings (12 months)

New listings (12 months)

Pending listings (12 months)

Hotness: median listing price (12 months)

Supply score (12 months)

Demand score (12 months)

Comparison

State typical home value$263,590 (+4.2% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.