The top reported proficiency rate is 38% in Science. The lowest is 12% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Parchment Middle School
Parchment Middle School is a regular public school serving grades six through eight in the Parchment School District, located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It draws from a community where just over half of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, and the enrollment is moderate for a middle school of its grade band. The student population is majority white, with a meaningful share of students identifying as two or more races, followed by smaller Black and Hispanic populations. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not reported, so those figures are not available here.
On state assessments for the most recent school year, math proficiency was low across all three grades, with the share of students meeting or exceeding standards sitting well below what most Kalamazoo County districts post. English language arts showed a different pattern. Sixth and seventh grade ELA proficiency was modest, but eighth grade ELA results stood out, with a majority of tested students reaching proficiency. Science and social studies, both tested in eighth grade, landed at a mid-range level, with roughly two-fifths of students proficient in each. When the school's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades is placed relative to districts in Kalamazoo County, Parchment Middle School sits below the midpoint. The county's cohort includes fourteen districts, and this school's combined proficiency index trails the county median by a fair margin.
A parent looking at these results may want to ask the school how it supports math instruction across the middle grades, since that is the area where proficiency is weakest. The eighth grade ELA result suggests something is working in literacy at the upper end of the school, and understanding what drives that could be informative.
The surrounding community of Kalamazoo is a mixed-use city with a walkable downtown centered on the Kalamazoo Mall, the first outdoor pedestrian shopping mall in the United States. The city is home to Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, and Kalamazoo Valley Community College, giving it a young population influenced by the universities. Historically known for its paper industry, Kalamazoo has since diversified into pharmaceuticals, medical science, medical equipment, plastics, metal products, and craft beer. Healthcare systems described as nationally recognized are among the major employers, alongside the university. The Kalamazoo River and its tributaries, including Arcadia Creek and Portage Creek, wind through the city, and the area offers many parks, lakes, and golf courses. The city is accessible via interstate and U.S. highway routes.
The Kalamazoo Promise, a scholarship program providing tuition support for graduates of Kalamazoo Public Schools at Michigan public universities and community colleges, is a well-known civic institution in the broader city. Parchment School District is a separate district, though, so families considering Parchment Middle School should understand that the Promise applies to Kalamazoo Public Schools, not to Parchment. We looked for parent-relevant changes in the Parchment School District over the recent span and found little publicly reported, so that is left out rather than guessed at.
Housing in the school's zip code is relatively affordable compared with both state and national benchmarks. Home values sit below the Michigan state average, and rents are lower still. The estimated monthly cost of renting comes in below the estimated monthly mortgage payment in this area, which may be relevant for families deciding between buying and leasing. The price-to-income ratio at the national level is below three, suggesting that homeownership is within reach for many households with median earnings, particularly by national standards.
Several pieces of information that would help round out a picture of this school were not available. There is no data on course access, staffing ratios, attendance, chronic absenteeism, discipline, or Title I status. Multi-year academic trends were not provided, so it is not possible to say from this data whether proficiency is improving or declining over time. Program offerings, such as advanced coursework, extracurriculars, or specialized support services, were not reported either. A parent interested in those dimensions would need to contact the school directly. Because Parchment Middle School serves only grades six through eight, it has no graduation rate, and that absence reflects the grade band rather than a gap in reporting.
What the data does show is a small-to-mid-sized middle school in an affordable corner of a diversified college town, with academic results that vary sharply between subjects and grades. Literacy at the upper grade is a relative bright spot, while math is the clearest area of concern. For a family weighing this school, those are the two threads worth pulling on in a conversation with the administration.
See more original research from School Decision →