The top reported proficiency rate is 74% in English language arts. The lowest is 25% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Dutton Elementary School
Dutton Elementary School sits in the Caledonia community of Kent County, part of the Caledonia Community Schools district. It is a regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through fourth grade, with an enrollment that is moderate for its grade band. The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population that makes up the next largest share, followed by students identifying as two or more races. Asian and Black students each represent a small fraction of the school. A moderate portion of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school does not report IEP or English-learner counts, so those population details are absent here.
On state assessments, Dutton posts strong results in the subjects and grades it currently tests. Third and fourth graders scored well above state expectations in both math and English language arts on the most recent M-STEP administration, with roughly three-quarters of tested students reaching proficiency in each subject and grade. The proficiency index, which averages reported rates across tested subjects and grades, places Dutton in the top quartile relative to districts in Kent County. That is a clear academic strength and positions the school well among its peers for early-elementary instruction.
Science and social studies results also appear in the data, but only for fifth grade and only from an earlier testing cycle. Because Dutton now serves through fourth grade, those scores likely reflect a prior grade configuration and are not part of the school's current tested range. A parent looking at those older science and social studies figures should treat them as historical rather than representative of today's school. No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to say whether the current proficiency levels represent improvement, stability, or decline from prior years.
Because Dutton is an elementary school, there is no graduation rate to report. Chronic absenteeism data was also missing, so the attendance picture is incomplete from what is available here.
The surrounding community is a small village with a residential, small-town character. Caledonia has a traditional Main Street core and sits roughly a short drive southeast of downtown Grand Rapids. The surrounding township has been suburbanizing as the metro area reaches outward, with the M-6 expressway and M-37 corridor improving access to the broader region. A rail-trail now runs along the former railroad right-of-way, and the Thornapple River provides recreational amenities nearby. The Kent District Library's Caledonia Township Branch sits within the village, offering a civic anchor. No major employers were identified in the available research, and the village reads as a residential community within commuting distance of Grand Rapids.
Housing in the school's zip code carries a typical home value above both the state and national benchmarks, reflecting the area's growth and desirability. The county market shows a moderate median listing price with homes spending roughly a month on the market before going under contract. Supply and demand indicators suggest a market that is active but not overheated. For families considering a move, the housing costs are a step up from much of the state, consistent with a community absorbing suburban demand from Grand Rapids.
The district itself has seen recent investment. A bond issue passed in 2020 funded construction across Caledonia Community Schools, including a corridor connecting the two high school buildings into a unified campus. The Cal Community Center opened in 2025, bringing new athletic facilities and a YMCA branch that expands recreational resources for district families. These additions speak to a district investing in physical and community assets alongside its academic programs.
For a family weighing Dutton, the picture is of a moderately sized early-elementary school with strong reading and math outcomes, a mostly homogeneous student body with some diversity, and a location in a growing small town near Grand Rapids. The missing attendance and special-population data are gaps a parent may want to ask the school about directly. What is clear from the available evidence is that Dutton delivers solid academic proficiency in the grades it serves, and it sits within a district actively putting resources into its facilities.
See more original research from School Decision →