The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in English language arts. The lowest is 10% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Rankin Elementary School
Rankin Elementary School sits on Mundy Avenue in Swartz Creek, a small suburb of Flint in Genesee County. It is a regular public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade and part of Carman-Ainsworth Community Schools. The surrounding area is a low-density, car-oriented residential community with civic buildings clustered on a campus off Civic Drive, a Meijer store on Morrish Road as the main retail anchor, and I-69 running along the northern edge for regional highway access. The town skews older demographically, with a modest share of households having children under eighteen. Publicly reported sources describe a peaceful small-town atmosphere, though the built environment is firmly suburban, with separated residential, commercial, and civic zones rather than an integrated walkable core.
The school enrolls roughly three hundred students across its six grades, with the largest cohorts in fourth and fifth grade. A very large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of the immediate area. The student body is diverse: nearly half white, with a substantial Black population, a smaller Hispanic group, and a meaningful portion of students identified as two or more races. Data on English learners and students with individualized education programs was not reported, so those populations cannot be characterized here.
On state M-STEP assessments for the most recent school year, the academic picture is mixed and varies sharply by grade. Third-grade results stand out: both math and English language arts proficiency landed in a reported range indicating the large majority of tested third graders met or exceeded proficiency. The tested group in third grade was small, which can amplify year-to-year swings. Fourth grade showed moderate proficiency in both subjects, with a somewhat higher rate in ELA than math. Fifth grade was the weakest band, with roughly a quarter of students proficient in math and ELA, a smaller share proficient in science, and an even lower portion reaching proficiency in social studies. Participation rates were not available for any grade or subject.
Across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint relative to districts in Genesee County. That positioning reflects the strength of the third-grade results pulling the average up while the fifth-grade scores pull it down. A parent might want to look into what is driving the decline between third and fifth grade, whether it reflects cohort differences, instructional transitions, or other factors the school can speak to.
No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to say whether these results represent improvement, decline, or stability. Graduation rates do not apply to an elementary school. Chronic absenteeism and other attendance figures were not reported. Discipline data, staffing ratios, and course or program offerings were not available in the data provided. Title I status was also not specified, though the very high free-or-reduced-price-lunch rate suggests the school likely qualifies for and may receive Title I support.
The housing market around Rankin is relatively affordable for the region. Typical home values in the school's zip code sit below the state benchmark and well below national figures, with rents also modest. The county market has been seeing rising listing prices and more homes coming available, with homes selling at a moderate pace. For a family weighing housing costs against school choice, the area offers a relatively accessible entry point compared with much of Michigan.
What Rankin looks like, in summary, is a small, economically diverse elementary school in an older suburb where third-grade academic results are strong but proficiency falls off by fifth grade. The school sits above the middle of the pack among Genesee County districts on a blended proficiency measure. The gaps in the data, particularly around student subgroups, attendance, staffing, and programs, mean a fuller picture would require going directly to the district or school for information not captured here.
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