The top reported proficiency rate is 42% in Science. The lowest is 25% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Oehrli Elementary School
Oehrli Elementary School sits in the small lakeside city of Montague, on the shore of White Lake in Muskegon County. It is a regular public school serving first through fifth grades, part of the Montague Area Public Schools district. The school draws from a community that blends nineteenth-century residential neighborhoods with a compact downtown shopping district, summer tourism, and an industrial park. Montague has remained a stable small town, and the district's civic footprint is woven directly into the city fabric rather than separated on distant campuses. Three of the district's five schools sit within Montague itself, and the other two are in the Village of Rothbury, giving the district an unusual two-county reach.
The school's enrollment is moderate for an elementary building, with fairly even distribution across the five grades. The student body is predominantly white, with a small Hispanic presence and very few students from other racial or ethnic backgrounds. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not reported, so those populations cannot be characterized here.
On state assessments, Oehrli's results present a mixed picture. In mathematics, proficiency rises from third grade to fourth grade, then dips in fifth grade. English language arts follows a similar arc, with third grade the strongest and fifth grade the lowest. Fifth-grade science was a relative bright spot, with a higher proficiency rate than math or ELA at that grade level. Social studies was the weakest area tested. When measured against other districts in Muskegon County, Oehrli's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits above the midpoint, a reasonably solid standing given the county's range. Participation rates were not available in the data, and no multi-year trend information was provided, so it is not possible to say whether these results represent improvement or decline from prior years. A parent may want to ask the school how it is approaching fifth-grade math and ELA, where proficiency is lowest, and what supports are in place.
Because Oehrli is an elementary school, there is no graduation rate to report, and that metric simply does not apply at this grade band. No data on advanced coursework, extracurricular access, staffing ratios, attendance, or discipline was available in the provided materials, so those dimensions cannot be described. Civil rights data was also absent.
The housing market around Oehrli is relatively affordable compared with state and national benchmarks. Home values in the school's zip code area sit below the Michigan state benchmark and well below the national figure, and they have been appreciating at a healthy year-over-year pace. The estimated price-to-income ratio is moderate, and prevailing mortgage rates hover in the mid-six-percent range. No rental data was available. Families considering the area will find a community where housing costs are more accessible than in many parts of the state, in a town that actively promotes its walkable character, trail access, and summer recreation along White Lake.
At the district level, voters approved a bond in 2022 to fund facility improvements across Montague Area Public Schools. Publicly reported projects include a new performance gymnasium, a new agricultural barn, auditorium lighting and technology upgrades, and remodeling of co-curricular spaces. For elementary families, the most relevant impact may be downstream, as these investments shape the middle and high school experience their children will eventually move into.
Oehrli is a school where test results are middling but positioned reasonably well among its county peers, serving a mostly homogeneous, working-class student body in a community that values its small-town identity and outdoor amenities. Families looking for an affordable lakeside community with integrated civic life may find it a practical fit, and those whose children need stronger academic supports may want to look into how the school addresses its lower fifth-grade proficiency figures.
See more original research from School Decision →