The top reported proficiency rate is 60% in English language arts. The lowest is 39% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Andrew G Schmidt Middle School
Andrew G Schmidt Middle School sits in Fenton, Michigan, serving grades six through eight as part of Fenton Area Public Schools. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and its enrollment is moderate for a middle school in this region. The student body is predominantly white, with a small Hispanic population and a few students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Just over a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on English learners and special education populations was not available, so those figures are left out rather than estimated.
Fenton itself is a residential and commercial community straddling US-23 in lower mid-Michigan. The downtown retains a historic character along Leroy Street, with a town square shopping area and a central park on the Shiawassee River that includes a gazebo and river walkway, overlooked by City Hall. The largest commercial district, Silver Lake Village, sits across the highway on the western edge, separating it from the traditional street grid. The city has seen steady housing and business growth, with many single-family communities built in past decades and a more recent shift toward apartment and condominium living. Most residents work in education, health, and social services, followed by manufacturing. The housing market in the school's zip code sits close to the national benchmark for typical home values, with rents that are modest relative to ownership costs. At current mortgage rates, estimated monthly mortgage payments run higher than typical rents, which reflects the broader national picture of affordability pressure rather than anything specific to this school.
Academically, the most recent state assessment results show a clear pattern. English language arts is the school's strongest area. Eighth-grade ELA proficiency is especially high, with a large majority of tested students reaching proficiency on the PSAT. Seventh-grade ELA is also strong, and sixth-grade ELA is solid if less elevated. Math results are more mixed, with proficiency in the upper third to lower middle range across all three grades. Science and social studies, both tested only in eighth grade, land in the middle to upper-middle range. Taken together, the school's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile among schools in comparable Genesee County districts. That is a meaningful strength and suggests the school is doing well preparing students, particularly in literacy, relative to its peers.
Because this is a middle school serving grades six through eight, there is no graduation rate to report. Chronic absenteeism data was not available. Participation rate data for the state assessments was missing as well, so we cannot speak to how complete the testing picture is. Course access, staffing, and discipline data were not provided, so those areas are left out rather than guessed.
At the district level, Fenton Area Public Schools recently moved forward on a bond-funded facilities upgrade. Voters approved a bond proposal that will fund a new auditorium and classroom wing at Fenton High School, along with district-wide safety, security, and infrastructure improvements including new roofs, buses, technology, and HVAC upgrades. The bond was structured so as not to raise the current debt levy rate, and the state cleared the district to proceed with construction. While those improvements are centered on the high school, the district-wide scope means middle school families may see downstream benefits in facilities and technology over time.
For a parent weighing this school, the read is fairly clear. Andrew G Schmidt is a solid-performing middle school with particularly strong literacy outcomes and respectable science and social studies results, set in a growing community with good freeway access and a revitalizing downtown. Math proficiency is the softer area, and a parent may want to look into how the school supports students who arrive below grade level in that subject. The student body is not highly diverse, which some families will see as a limitation and others will simply take as a characteristic of the community. The housing market is accessible by regional standards but buying remains more expensive than renting at current rates. Overall this is a school that performs well against its county peers and sits in a town investing in its own future.
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