The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in Science. The lowest is 34% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on James T Jones Elementary School
James T. Jones Elementary School serves the upper elementary grades in Gladstone, a small city in Michigan's Upper Peninsula perched on a peninsula extending into Little Bay de Noc. The school sits within Gladstone Area Schools and takes students in grades three through five, a band that bridges early elementary and middle school. The enrollment is moderate for a three-grade school, with each grade level roughly equal in size. The student body is predominantly white, with small Native American and multiracial representation and very few students from other racial or ethnic backgrounds. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, pointing to a working-class community context. Data on English learners and special education populations was not available.
Gladstone itself is a residential community shaped by its geography and industrial past. A dramatic bluff splits the city into eastern and western halves, with an industrial corridor along US Route 2/41 and the Canadian National Railroad running below the bluff. The downtown area hosts most local businesses and civic functions, while the Bluff section holds newer residential expansion and the high school. The city's economy historically centered on shipping iron ore, lumber, coal, and copper, and later rail operations. Many residents now commute to the larger city of Escanaba, a short drive south, for work. The city has worked to diversify away from its declined resource-based industries, and its waterfront location supports recreation and tourism, including a municipal harbor that hosts the World Walleye Championship. Parks, trails, a golf course, and a sports park give families outdoor options across seasons. Housing in the school's zip code is affordable relative to both state and national benchmarks, with a price-to-income ratio that sits well below what many Michigan communities face. Home values have been appreciating at a healthy clip recently, though the area remains inexpensive compared to the state overall.
On state assessments, James T. Jones shows a mixed academic profile. Math proficiency is modest across all three grades, with roughly a third of students meeting proficiency benchmarks in each grade, and the rate dips somewhat in fifth grade. English language arts follows a similar pattern in third and fourth grade, but fifth grade ELA stands out as the school's relative bright spot, with a meaningfully higher share of students reaching proficiency. Fifth grade science and social studies results land in a similar middle range. Taken together, the school's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits below the midpoint relative to districts in Delta County, which includes a small set of neighboring districts. The spread among those districts is not enormous, and James T. Jones is not at the bottom, but it is clearly in the lower half. A parent may want to look into this further with the school, particularly around math instruction across the grade band, to understand what supports are in place for students who are not yet meeting benchmarks.
No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to say from the provided information whether these results represent improvement, decline, or stability. Participation rates were also missing from the data. The school does not have a graduation rate, chronic absenteeism figure, or course access information, which is expected given that it serves only elementary grades and those metrics either do not apply or were not reported. No information on discipline, staffing, or program offerings was provided.
The district brief for Gladstone Area Schools turned up no recently reported parent-relevant changes. The search found general district information but nothing meeting a threshold of lasting impact on families.
For a parent weighing this school, the picture is one of a community-rooted elementary program in an affordable, outdoors-oriented Upper Peninsula town where the academic results are middling within its county peer set. Fifth grade reading and science show relative strength, while math is the area most worth asking about. The setting offers shoreline, trails, and small-city civic life, with easy access to Escanaba for broader employment and services. Families whose priority is a close-knit community school with natural amenities nearby may find the fit appealing, while those seeking stronger published proficiency numbers may want to compare with other Delta County options and ask the school directly about its improvement efforts.
See more original research from School Decision →