The top reported proficiency rate is 67% in Math. The lowest is 23% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Grandville Cummings Elementary School
Grandville Cummings Elementary School sits on the southwest side of Grand Rapids, within the Grandville Public Schools district. It is a regular public school serving preschool through sixth grade, drawing families from a part of the broader Grand Rapids area that blends suburban residential streets with proximity to the city's economic center. The school's enrollment is moderate for an elementary building, and the student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population making up the next largest share, followed by smaller groups identifying as two or more races, Black, Asian, and American Indian or Alaska Native. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is below what many urban Grand Rapids schools report but reflects the working- and middle-class character of the surrounding neighborhoods.
Academically, Cummings stands in the top quartile among Kent County schools when proficiency rates across tested subjects and grades are averaged together. That positioning is driven by strong results in the upper elementary grades. Fourth-grade math and English language arts proficiency are both well above the county median, with a large majority of tested fourth graders reaching proficiency in math and nearly as high a share in ELA. Third-grade results are more mixed, with roughly half of third graders proficient in ELA and a slim majority proficient in math. This pattern, where third-grade proficiency is lower and fourth-grade proficiency is markedly stronger, suggests the school is effectively moving students forward as they progress, though a parent may want to ask the school how it supports early-grade literacy, given that third-grade reading results lag behind the school's own fourth-grade performance.
Fifth-grade science proficiency is solid, with well over half of tested students reaching proficiency. Fifth-grade social studies is the clear soft spot, with only a small share of students proficient. Social studies proficiency is often lower across Michigan elementary schools, so this result is not unusual, but it is worth noting for families who value that content area.
Because Cummings is an elementary school, there is no graduation rate to report, and that metric does not apply here. Chronic absenteeism data was not available in the provided information, nor were individualized education program or English learner counts, so those pieces of the student-support picture are gaps a parent would need to fill by contacting the school directly. The data did not include participation rates for state assessments, and no multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to say whether these results are improving or declining over time.
The Grandville district has seen recent structural changes that will shape the pathway for Cummings students after they finish sixth grade. A new Grandville Middle School opened in fall 2023 for grades seven and eight, replacing the former middle school site. Oakestown Intermediate reopened in fall 2024 as a building for grades five and six, which means some Cummings students may transition there before moving on to middle school. The district also built a robotics competition arena as part of the middle school construction, a specialized facility that supports STEM and robotics programming across the district.
The housing market around Cummings reflects the broader Grand Rapids area's growth. The Grand Rapids metro area is Michigan's second-largest city and the economic hub of West Michigan, with a diversified economy anchored by healthcare, manufacturing, and retail. Publicly reported data shows heavy investment in the Medical Mile corridor, including Corewell Health facilities and the Van Andel Institute. Home values in the school's zip code sit above the state benchmark and modestly above the national benchmark, with year-over-year appreciation continuing. Rents have risen at a similar pace. Homes in the area turn over reasonably quickly, with median days on market in the mid-thirties, suggesting a market that is active but not frenzied. For families considering a move into the attendance area, the combination of above-average home prices and the school's strong academic positioning makes this a neighborhood where housing costs and school quality are priced together.
Cummings fits families looking for a conventional public elementary experience in a district with recent facility investment, solid upper-elementary academics, and a peer environment that is less economically diverse than Grand Rapids city schools but more accessible than the most affluent suburban districts in the county. The third-grade literacy and fifth-grade social studies results are the places where a parent would want to ask more questions.
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