The top reported proficiency rate is 59% in English language arts. The lowest is 46% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Jia Elementary
JIA Elementary is a small kindergarten-through-fifth-grade public school in Jenison, Michigan, part of Jenison Public Schools. It sits on Connie Street in a residential pocket of Ottawa County, serving one of the smaller student bodies among the district's elementary options. The enrollment is modest enough that only a handful of children occupy each tested grade, which shapes how parents should read the state assessment results.
On Michigan's M-STEP, the most recent results show a mixed but generally solid academic picture. In third grade, roughly half of tested students reached proficiency in both math and English language arts. Fourth grade stands out as the strongest cohort, with about two-thirds proficient in both subjects. Fifth grade lands in between, with a majority proficient in math, English language arts, and science, while social studies was the softest spot, with fewer than half clearing the proficiency bar. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency sits above the midpoint relative to districts in Ottawa County. That said, the tested groups are small enough that a single child's performance moves the results noticeably, so parents should treat these as a snapshot rather than a stable trend. Multi-year trend data was not available, so there is no clear picture of whether performance is rising or falling over time.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Chronic absenteeism, discipline, course access, staffing, and attendance data were all missing from the available records, which limits the picture of day-to-day school climate. A parent may want to ask the school directly about those dimensions, particularly class size, specialist staffing, and how the small cohort structure affects social dynamics and instruction.
Demographically, the school is predominantly white, with a smaller Hispanic population and a few students identifying as two or more races. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a moderate level for the area. Data on English learners and students with individualized education programs was not reported, so the special-populations picture is incomplete.
Jenison itself is an unincorporated community within Georgetown Charter Township, a bedroom community within commuting distance of Grand Rapids. The built environment is suburban and car-dependent, organized around arterial roads like Chicago Drive and Baldwin Street, with interstate access nearby. There is no traditional downtown civic center, and administration is handled at the township level. Publicly reported sources describe the area as predominantly residential with a high homeownership rate. The Grand River and several ravines parks serve as the main recreational anchors, including Grand Ravines North and South and Steamboat Park. No specific major employers within Jenison were identified in the available research, which is consistent with its commuter character. The population has been relatively stable over the past two decades with only modest fluctuations, and no major new housing developments surfaced in the search.
The housing market in the school's ZIP code sits close to the national benchmark for home values, with rents that are moderate for the region. At current mortgage rates, the estimated monthly cost of ownership runs above typical rent, which means families weighing a purchase near this school face a real affordability gap between buying and renting. Home values have been climbing modestly year over year, while the state benchmark tracks below this area, reflecting the broader pattern of Ottawa County being pricier than much of Michigan.
For a parent weighing JIA Elementary, the core tradeoff is intimacy versus scale. The small enrollment means individual attention is likely easier to come by, and the proficiency results suggest most children are learning at or above grade level. The flip side is that tiny cohorts can mean fewer peer options, less grade-level diversity, and results that swing with each year's group. Families who value a close-knit elementary setting in a quiet suburban community may find this a good fit, while those seeking a larger peer pool or more program breadth may want to compare it with other Jenison Public Schools elementaries.
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