The top reported proficiency rate is 68% in Math. The lowest is 43% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Bailey Lake Elementary School
Bailey LakeElementary sits on Pine Knob Road in Clarkston, part of the Clarkston Community School District in northern Oakland County. It is a regular public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade, with an enrollment that is moderate for an elementary building in this area. The school's student body is predominantly white, with small Hispanic, multiracial, Asian, and Black populations. A small share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, consistent with the broader Clarkston area's relatively affluent residential character. Data on English learners and students with individualized education programs was not available, so those populations cannot be characterized here.
On Michigan's M-STEP assessments, Bailey Lake's results are strong overall, particularly in the early tested grades. Third-grade math proficiency is notably high, with most tested students meeting or exceeding standards. Fourth-grade math is also solid, though the share of proficient students dips from third grade. Fifth-grade math shows a more pronounced drop, with fewer than half of tested students reaching proficiency. English language arts is steadier across the three tested grades, with the majority of students proficient in third, fourth, and fifth grades. Fifth-grade science shows a healthy majority proficient, while fifth-grade social studies is the weakest area, with fewer than half meeting the standard. A parent looking at these results may want to ask the school about the fifth-grade math slide and the social studies outcome, since both stand out against an otherwise strong performance profile. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency places it in the top quartile relative to districts in Oakland County, which is a strong standing given the county's generally high-performing districts.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report, and the same applies to college readiness measures. The comparison set used for Bailey Lake covers districts in Oakland County, and within that group Bailey Lake's academic performance is near the top. Chronic absenteeism data was not available for this school, so attendance patterns cannot be described.
Clarkston itself is a compact historic village surrounded by Independence Township. The village core is small, walkable, and centered on Main Street and the Mill Pond, a section of the Clinton River. Publicly reported sources note that the village was settled in the 1830s around saw and grist mills and that a large number of historic structures are protected within the Clarkston Village Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The old Ford mill building has been converted into a small complex with art galleries and offices. The surrounding township uses the Clarkston mailing address and is more suburban and car-dependent, which is where most of the school district's campuses sit. Bailey Lake Elementary is one of those campuses, located outside the village proper in the broader township area.
Housing in the Clarkston area reflects Oakland County's higher-cost market. The typical home value for the school's zip code sits above both the state and national benchmarks, and homes here command a premium per square foot relative to much of the state. The county-level market has seen a modest increase in active listings recently, and median listing prices have eased somewhat compared to a year ago. Homes still move relatively quickly, with a median time on market of roughly a month. Mortgage rates and estimated monthly costs point to a market where buying requires a strong household income, which aligns with the area's residential profile. Rent data was not available for this zip code, so rental costs cannot be described.
The Clarkston Community School District recently completed a rebuild of Clarkston Junior High School, which reopened in 2025 after a major capital project. This is relevant for Bailey Lake families because it affects the intermediate and high school pathway students will eventually follow. Beyond that, the district brief did not surface other specific program changes or strategic priorities, so those are left out rather than guessed.
For a family considering Bailey Lake, the school offers a strong academic foundation in the early elementary grades with solid reading results throughout and high math performance in third grade. The fifth-grade math and social studies results are softer spots worth exploring with the school. The setting is a historic, small-town community with suburban surroundings and a housing market that is relatively expensive for the region. The peer environment is mostly white and relatively affluent, and the school's standing among Oakland County districts is strong.
See more original research from School Decision →