The top reported proficiency rate is 37% in Math. The lowest is 11% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Lincoln School
Lincoln School is a regular public elementary school in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, part of the Sault Ste. Marie Area Schools district. The school sits on East Fifth Avenue in a small Upper Peninsula city that serves as the county seat of Chippewa County. Sault Ste. Marie is the oldest city in Michigan, settled by French colonists, and its identity is shaped by the Soo Locks, Great Lakes shipping, Lake Superior State University, and a downtown commercial district built on an island between the power canal and the St. Marys River. An International Bridge connects the city to its Ontario counterpart, and the city is the northern terminus of Interstate 75. The housing market here is affordable relative to state and national benchmarks, with home values well below what most Michigan and U.S. communities carry. Publicly reported information indicates the population has been stable or slightly declining.
The school's enrollment is concentrated in the second, third, and fourth grades, with very small counts in kindergarten and first grade and no students reported in pre-kindergarten or fifth through seventh grades despite the broader grade band listed for the school. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is majority white, with a large American Indian and Alaska Native presence and small representations of other racial and ethnic groups. Data on English learners and students with individualized education programs was not available.
On state assessments, Lincoln's results from the most recent year show a split between third and fourth grade. Third grade proficiency in both math and English language arts was low, with roughly a quarter to just over a quarter of tested students reaching proficiency. Fourth grade was notably stronger, with close to half of students proficient in math and somewhat fewer in English language arts. Science and social studies results are available only from earlier assessment cycles and are dated, with science proficiency very low and social studies results in a similar range to the third grade English language arts figures. The school's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it in the bottom quartile relative to districts in Chippewa County. A parent considering this data may want to ask the school or district about the gap between grade levels and what supports are in place for younger students.
No chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing, or course access data was provided. Participation rates for state assessments were missing as well.
A major consideration for any family looking at Lincoln is that the school has closed. Publicly reported district information indicates that Lincoln Elementary, along with Washington Elementary, closed at the end of the 2024-2025 school year as part of a district-wide restructuring. Middle school students were moved to the high school building, and the former middle school became an elementary school. This means the assessment data reflects the final year of Lincoln's operation, and families should look to the reconfigured district schools for current enrollment options.
The community context offers both appeal and constraint. Sault Ste. Marie has a compact downtown core, a university campus, and strong civic anchors in the locks, the riverfront, and cross-border connections to Ontario. Employment centers around federal operations at the locks, the university, local government, and tourism. Growth appears limited. For families already rooted in the area, the district's restructured schools are the practical path forward, and the housing market remains relatively accessible compared with much of the state.
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