The top reported proficiency rate is 41% in Math. The lowest is 23% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Tri County Elementary School
Tri County Elementary School sits in the rural village of Pierson, in Montcalm County, and serves kindergarten through fifth grade as part of Tri County Area Schools. It is a regular public school with no charter or magnet designation. The enrollment is sizable for an elementary building in this part of the state, and 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, which reflects the broader economic character of the surrounding community. Data on English learners and special education enrollment was not available, so those population details remain unknown.
The school moved into a brand-new building in fall 2023, publicly reported as a consolidation that brought elementary grades onto the same Kendaville Road campus as the district's middle and high schools. For families, that means a modern facility and a shared campus where siblings across grade bands attend school in the same location. The prior elementary setup was replaced entirely, so this is a relatively fresh environment for the community.
On state assessments, Tri County Elementary's results place it above the midpoint among districts in Montcalm County for overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. The strongest showing came in fourth-grade math, where nearly half of tested students reached proficiency. Fourth-grade ELA was similar, with just under half proficient. Third-grade results were lower in both subjects, and fifth-grade math and science each saw about a third of students proficient. Fifth-grade social studies was the weakest area, with roughly a quarter of students meeting the bar. These are mixed results. The fourth grade stands out as a relative bright spot, while the lower proficiency in fifth-grade math and social studies is something a parent may want to look into further with the school. No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not yet clear whether these figures represent a stable pattern or a transitional snapshot during the building's first full testing cycle. Participation rate data was also missing from the available records.
Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and the county comparison set correctly excludes that metric for this school. Chronic absenteeism data was not available either.
Pierson itself is a very small, entirely rural community with low population density and limited commercial presence. Publicly reported sources describe a village where the median household income sits well below the Michigan median, and the cost of living is low. No major employers were identified within the village, and available data suggests many residents commute elsewhere for work. A U.S. freeway passes just west of the village, providing regional access. Civic anchors include a municipal building and a post office, though no parks, libraries, or public transit services were identified in the available sources.
The housing market around the school is affordable relative to both state and national benchmarks, with typical home values below the Michigan statewide figure and well below the national one. At the same time, values have been appreciating at a brisk year-over-year pace, suggesting the area is seeing growing interest even as it remains inexpensive by broader standards. The price-to-income ratio sits at a level that points to relative affordability for working families, though current mortgage rates shape what that looks like in monthly terms.
What families get here is a newly built elementary school in a quiet rural setting, part of a district where academic performance is middling-to-solid for the region but with clear variation across grades and subjects. The community is small and close-knit by nature, with the tradeoffs that come with limited local amenities and a reliance on commuting. For parents weighing this school, the modern facility and consolidated campus are genuine assets, while the uneven proficiency results, particularly in the upper elementary grades, are worth a direct conversation with school staff.
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