The top reported proficiency rate is 25% in English language arts. The lowest is 10% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on East Intermediate School
East Intermediate School sits on West Michigan Avenue in Lansing, serving fifth and sixth graders as part of Waverly Community Schools. It is a short stretch of grades, just the two years between elementary and middle school, which gives the school a particular identity: a focused transition point rather than a full K-through-8 or secondary program. The building draws from a community where Lansing's role as Michigan's state capital shapes much of the surrounding economy. State government, insurance, healthcare, and manufacturing anchor the area, and Michigan State University sits just next door in East Lansing. The neighborhood around the school is largely auto-oriented, with moderate walkability closer to the downtown core and the Grand River corridor.
The student body is racially diverse in a way that reflects the broader Lansing area. Black students make up the largest single group, followed closely by white students, with a substantial Hispanic population and smaller shares of Asian students and students of two or more races. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which speaks to the economic mix of the families the school serves. Data on English learners and students with individualized education programs was not available, so those pieces of the picture are missing here rather than absent from the school.
On state assessments, East Intermediate's results are low across tested subjects. In English language arts, roughly a quarter of fifth and sixth graders reached proficiency, which was the strongest subject area for the school. Math was the weakest, with single-digit proficiency in fifth grade and only slightly higher in sixth. Science and social studies, both tested only in fifth grade, also showed low proficiency rates. When measured against districts in Ingham County, the school's overall proficiency sits in the bottom quartile. The county median proficiency index is well above where this school stands. A parent reviewing these results may want to ask the school directly what instructional strategies and interventions are in place, particularly in math, and how the school plans to support students who are not yet meeting grade-level benchmarks.
No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to say from the provided information whether these results are improving, stable, or declining over time. Participation rates were also missing from the data. Because the school serves only fifth and sixth grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and chronic absenteeism data was not provided. Course access, staffing, discipline, and attendance information were all absent from the available data as well.
Housing in the school's zip code is relatively affordable compared with national figures. Typical home values sit below the state benchmark and well below national levels, while rents are modest. The ratio of home prices to income is near the national average, and the monthly cost of renting is slightly higher than the estimated monthly mortgage for a typical buyer, though current mortgage rates make purchasing more expensive than recent years. For families considering the area, housing costs are likely to be less of a barrier here than in many Michigan communities.
At the district level, Waverly Community Schools has secured bond funding to improve facilities across all its schools. Publicly reported information indicates this investment is intended to upgrade building conditions districtwide, which could affect the physical environment at East Intermediate in the coming years. Property tax implications for district residents may accompany that investment.
East Intermediate is a small, two-grade school serving a diverse student population in an affordable corner of the Lansing area. Its academic results are low, particularly in math, and a family considering this school would benefit from a direct conversation with school leadership about how the building supports students working below grade level and what is changing instructionally. The facility improvements coming through the district bond may be one positive development to ask about.
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