The top reported proficiency rate is 34% in Science. The lowest is 17% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Robert M Larson Elementary School
Robert M Larson Elementary School sits in Harrison, the Clare County seat, a small Michigan city that began as a lumber town on Budd Lake and now draws seasonal visitors for its lakes, Wilson State Park, and the Clare County Fair. The housing stock here runs well below state and national price benchmarks, with a price-to-income ratio that suggests relative affordability for working families compared with much of Michigan. A notable share of housing sits vacant, pointing to a second-home or seasonal presence that shapes the town's character. Publicly reported sources describe Harrison as attracting retirees, and the city adopted a master plan covering parks and recreation.
The school itself is Harrison Community Schools' only elementary building, a role it took on after a voter-approved millage funded a major expansion. That project consolidated all elementary education at a single campus southwest of downtown, where the middle and high schools also sit. The campus is separated from the downtown core, and the town is largely car-oriented, so most families will drive rather than walk. Harrison City Park, with its ballfields and walking trail, sits nearby on the same street as the school.
Enrollment is large for a single elementary school serving kindergarten through fifth grade. The student body is overwhelmingly white, with small numbers of students identifying as multiracial, Hispanic, or American Indian and Alaska Native. A very substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic conditions of the surrounding community. The data does not include figures for special education or English learner populations, so those portraits remain incomplete.
On Michigan's M-STEP assessments, the most recent results show proficiency rates that are low across every tested subject and grade. In math, fewer than a quarter of third graders reached proficiency, and the rate drops further in fourth grade before ticking up slightly in fifth. English language arts follows a similar pattern, with the highest rate in fifth grade and the lowest in fourth. Science, tested only in fifth grade, produced a somewhat higher proficiency rate, while social studies was the weakest area. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index lands in the bottom quartile relative to districts in Clare County. No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to say from the provided data whether these results reflect a steady pattern or a recent shift. A parent weighing this school may want to look into the instructional supports and interventions the building has in place, particularly in fourth-grade math and fifth-grade social studies.
Because Larson serves only elementary grades, it has no graduation rate, and that metric does not apply here. Chronic absenteeism data was not available. Discipline, course access, and staffing details were also absent from the data, so those dimensions of school climate could not be assessed.
The district is undergoing a structural change that will directly affect Larson families. In early 2025, the Harrison Community Schools board voted to close Harrison Middle School, citing a budget deficit tied to declining enrollment and reduced state funding. Starting in the 2025-2026 year, sixth-grade students will consolidate into the elementary school, while seventh and eighth graders move to the high school building. That means Larson will add a grade and absorb new students, which could shift class sizes, staffing, and the daily routine for younger children. Separately, voters approved a restored non-homestead operating millage to fund district operations, replacing an expired levy.
For a family considering this area, the picture is one of an affordable small-town setting with strong outdoor recreation ties, a consolidated campus, and a school serving a high-need population during a period of district restructuring. The academic results are a soft spot a parent would want to discuss with school leadership before committing.
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