The top reported proficiency rate is 61% in Science. The lowest is 55% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Central Elementary School
Central Elementary School is a two-grade building serving fourth and fifth graders in Linden, Michigan, within the Linden Community Schools district. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and its narrow grade band gives it a transitional identity. Students arrive here after the early elementary years and move on after a brief stop, which means the school's entire focus sits on that pivot point between primary grades and middle school.
The academic picture from the most recent state assessments is solid across the board. In both fourth and fifth grade, a majority of students reached proficiency in math and English language arts. Fifth graders also sat for science and social studies exams, and again a majority cleared the proficiency bar in each, with science the strongest of the group. Put together, the school's overall proficiency index lands in the top quartile relative to districts in Genesee County. That comparison set draws on county membership rather than geographic adjacency, and among the districts with reported results, Central's proficiency index sits above the highest district-level value in the cohort. This is a school where state test results point to consistent, above-typical academic outcomes for its grade levels.
The student body is small, as one would expect for a two-grade school, and predominantly white. A modest share of students identify as Hispanic or as two or more races, and a very small number identify as Black. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is below what many Genesee County schools see. Data on individualized education programs and English learner status was not reported, so those populations cannot be characterized here. Participation rates for the state assessments were also missing from the available data.
Linden itself is a small city in southern Genesee County, part of the Fenton urban area just south of Flint. Publicly reported sources describe a historic downtown at the intersection of Bridge and Broad streets, with small shops, restaurants, and local businesses forming a compact commercial core. The city retains a village-like feel, with structures downtown dating back to its early settlement period. Civic life centers on City Hall, which sits on Broad Street in the historic district. No major employers were identified in the available sources, and no public library branch or transit system was found, so the community reads as a quiet residential place with a modest downtown rather than an employment hub.
The housing market in the school's zip code shows typical home values below the state benchmark and well below the national figure, which positions Linden as relatively affordable for Michigan. Recent year-over-year home value growth has been solid, and the broader county market has seen an increase in active and new listings alongside rising median listing prices. Homes are selling at a moderate pace, with median days on market in a typical spring range. Rental costs sit at a level where rent-to-income affordability is in a common range for the area. No specific major new housing developments were identified in the search results, and the district brief did not surface any parent-relevant changes or strategic initiatives from Linden Community Schools in the recent period searched.
Because Central serves only fourth and fifth graders, there is no graduation rate, no high school course access, and no college or career pathway data to report. Those metrics simply do not apply at this grade band. Program offerings, discipline data, staffing details, and attendance figures were not available in the provided data, so those dimensions cannot be assessed here. A parent looking into enrichment, extracurriculars, or support services would want to ask the school directly, since none of that appeared in the available records.
What the data does show is a small, focused intermediate elementary school with consistent proficiency results that stand out within its county context, situated in a quiet, affordable residential community with a compact historic downtown.
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