The top reported proficiency rate is 60% in Math. The lowest is 17% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Manton Consolidated Elem School
Manton Consolidated Elementary School sits in the heart of Manton, a small rural city in Wexford County. The school serves kindergarten through fourth grade and is part of Manton Consolidated Schools, with the campus described as centrally located on Fifth Street, integrated into the town rather than set apart on a separate campus. The surrounding community is agricultural, with an Old Order Amish presence nearby, and the town brands itself as "Small Town... Big Heart," hosting annual events like a chili cook-off, harvest festival, car shows, and Christmas in the Park.
The school's enrollment is modest, consistent with what you would expect for an elementary building in a small rural district. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the working-class character of the area. The student body is predominantly white, with small numbers of Hispanic students and students of two or more races. Data on English learners and students with individualized education programs was not available, so those population sizes remain unknown here.
On state assessments, the most recent results come from the current school year's M-STEP testing in math and English language arts for third and fourth grades. Math results are a clear strength. Both third and fourth graders scored above the midpoint in proficiency, with a solid majority of tested students reaching proficient or above. English language arts results were more mixed, with third grade proficiency landing below the math figures and fourth grade closer to the math level. When placed relative to districts in Wexford County, the school's overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades lands in the top quartile, which is a strong standing among its peers.
Science results are available only from an older testing cycle, and those numbers were low. Because the science figure dates back several years and the state's science assessment framework has changed since then, it is difficult to draw a firm conclusion from it. A parent may want to ask the school how current science instruction looks and whether recent science outcomes have improved.
The school has no graduation rate, which is expected given that it serves only elementary grades. Chronic absenteeism data was not available in the provided information. Discipline, course access, staffing, and attendance details were also absent from the data, so those areas cannot be characterized here.
Manton itself has been population-stable over decades, with no major new housing developments identified in publicly reported sources. Home values in the area sit below both state and national benchmarks, making the housing market relatively affordable compared with much of Michigan. The price-to-income ratio is below the national figure, and the local economy centers on agriculture, the school district, and municipal government. No large private-sector employers surfaced in available search results. The city references development plans for parks and recreation, but nothing specific or large-scale was identified.
No recent district-level changes such as referendums, curriculum shifts, or property-tax adjustments were found in the available research, so there is little to report on that front. The district brief turned up general governance and fiscal information but nothing parent-relevant from the recent past with lasting impact.
For a family considering this school, the academic picture in math is encouraging, with ELA showing room for growth. The community is small, rural, and tight-knit, with civic life revolving around school events, city parks, and seasonal festivals. Housing is affordable, and the school sits at the center of town life. Parents wanting a closer look at science instruction, absenteeism, or special-population services should reach out to the school directly, as those data points were not available in the sources reviewed here.
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