The top reported proficiency rate is 41% in Science. The lowest is 23% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Lincoln Elementary School
Lincoln ElementarySchool sits on Ayer Street in Cadillac, a small northern Michigan city that serves as the commercial and industrial hub for the surrounding rural region. The school is part of Cadillac Area Public Schools and serves kindergarten through fifth grade. Enrollment is moderate for an elementary building in this area, with roughly even distribution across the six grade levels.
The student body is predominantly white, with small representations from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. A very large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which tells a parent that this is a school serving a working-class community where economic need is widespread. Data on special education and English learner populations was not available, so those figures are left out rather than guessed.
On Michigan's M-STEP assessments, the most recent results show a mixed academic picture. In third grade, just under half of tested students reached proficiency in math, with English language arts results somewhat lower. Fourth grade was stronger, with math and ELA proficiency at the same level. Fifth grade is where the numbers dip most visibly. Math proficiency in fifth grade falls well below the third and fourth grade results, and social studies proficiency is also low. Science proficiency in fifth grade sits in a middling range. ELA holds relatively steady across the three grades. Taken together, the school's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it above the midpoint among districts in Wexford County, which is a reasonable standing for a school with this level of economic need. A parent might want to look into what happens between fourth and fifth grade, particularly in math, where the drop is most pronounced. Participation rates were not reported, and no multi-year trend data was available, so it is hard to say whether this represents a one-year dip or a pattern.
Because Lincoln serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report and no chronic absenteeism figure available in the data provided. The school does not have charter or magnet status. Title I status was not reported. Information on discipline, course access, staffing, and attendance was not available.
Cadillac itself is a city shaped by two forces: manufacturing and the outdoors. Boat building, automotive parts, rubber products, vacuum cleaner manufacturing, and military hardware are among the key industries, with several industrial parks generating a substantial portion of the city's tax base. Lake Cadillac sits entirely within city limits and, along with nearby Lake Mitchell and the Manistee National Forest, anchors a tourism and recreation economy that runs through all four seasons. The White Pine Trail, a long paved rail-trail, terminates in the center of town. Downtown centers on Mitchell Street, with a traditional streetscape, while schools occupy separate campuses rather than being integrated into the downtown core. The city's population has been stable, with only modest growth. A school bond funded construction across all district buildings, completed in 2024, which means the physical learning environments have seen recent investment.
Housing in the area is relatively affordable compared with state and national benchmarks. Typical home values in the school's zip code sit below both the Michigan and national medians, and the price-to-income ratio is modest. Rental data was not available. For a family considering a move, the housing market here is accessible, and the recent district-wide facility improvements are a tangible plus.
What Lincoln offers is a traditional public elementary education in a community where economic need is high but where the district has recently invested in its buildings. The academic results are middling to solid in the early grades, with a clear soft spot in fifth grade math and social studies. The school's standing relative to its Wexford County peers is above the midpoint on proficiency, which gives some reassurance. Families looking for a small-town setting with outdoor recreation close at hand and affordable housing will find that here. Those concerned about the fifth grade dip or the lack of reported data on special populations and attendance may want to ask the school directly.
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