The top reported proficiency rate is 43% in Science. The lowest is 16% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Patricia St Clair Elementary School
Patricia St Clair Elementary School sits in the village of Hesperia, a small rural community that straddles the Oceana and Newaygo county line in west Michigan. The village has a quiet, sparse-suburban feel with most residents owning their homes. A traditional downtown runs along the main street with local shops, and a riverside boardwalk along the White River gives the community a modest but pleasant gathering spot near the dam. The school shares its South Division Street address with Hesperia's middle and high schools, suggesting a consolidated campus close to the village center. Publicly reported sources describe the local economy as built on small businesses and seasonal tourism tied to river recreation, with the school district likely among the larger local employers. Hesperia has seen very slow growth, with population remaining essentially flat over recent years. Home values have risen but remain well below the state median, making this one of the more affordable corners of Michigan for families looking to buy. The broader area sits near the Huron-Manistee National Forests, adding outdoor recreation to the mix.
The school serves kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school in the Hesperia Community Schools district. Enrollment is modest for an elementary building of this grade band. The student body is predominantly white, with a small Hispanic presence and a handful of students from other racial or ethnic backgrounds. A very large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, which places this school among those serving a high-poverty community. Data on individualized education programs and English learner status was not reported, so those population details are unavailable here.
On Michigan's M-STEP assessments for the most recent school year, proficiency results were low across most subjects and grades. In math, third and fourth graders showed modest proficiency, while fifth grade dropped sharply. English language arts told a somewhat different story: third grade was low, but fourth and fifth grade improved to a more moderate level. Fifth-grade science stood out as the strongest result, with a solid share of students reaching proficiency. Social studies proficiency for fifth graders landed in the middle range. No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to say whether these results represent improvement or decline from prior years. Participation rates were also missing from the data. When the school's overall proficiency is compared against the set of districts in Newaygo County, it sits in the bottom quartile. This is a soft spot a parent may want to look into further with the school, particularly in math where upper-grade results were weakest.
Because this is an elementary school, there is no graduation rate to report, and that metric simply does not apply here. Chronic absenteeism data was not available. Information on discipline, course access, staffing, attendance, and civil-rights indicators was absent from the data we received, so those dimensions of school life could not be assessed. No specialized program offerings were listed, and Title I status was not reported, though the very high free-or-reduced-price-lunch rate suggests the school likely qualifies for and receives federal support.
At the district level, Hesperia Community Schools recently passed a bond issue, adding to earlier bond approvals. These measures fund capital improvements to district facilities and tend to affect both school infrastructure and local property taxes over time. Families evaluating the area may want to understand what specific projects the latest bond will fund and how they might benefit the elementary campus.
For a family drawn to small-town rural living with affordable housing and outdoor access, this school reflects its community. The academic results are below where most neighboring districts stand, and the math results in particular suggest a child may need support beyond what the classroom currently provides. Parents considering Patricia St Clair would do well to ask the school directly about its improvement plans, available intervention supports, and how it uses any federal funding tied to its high-poverty enrollment. The science results and the upward ELA trajectory in the upper grades are points worth building on.
See more original research from School Decision →