Is Bear Lake Elementary School a good school?

Bear Lake Elementary School ranks 404 th of 1486 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Bear Lake Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 166 students attended Bear Lake Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Bear Lake Elementary School?

Students at Bear Lake Elementary School are 86% White, 13% Hispanic, 1% African American.

What schools do graduates of Bear Lake Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Bear Lake Elementary School usually go on to attend: High : Bear Lake High School

Bear Lake Elementary School

Summary:

Bear Lake Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 163 students in grades PK-6 in Bear Lake, Michigan, which is part of the Manistee Area Public Schools district.

Despite having a significantly higher percentage of white students (84.66%) compared to surrounding schools, Bear Lake Elementary consistently outperforms the state average on M-Step tests across multiple grade levels and subjects. For example, in 2023-2024, 52.4% of 3rd graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state average of 39.6%. The school also has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 74.85% to 82.84% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the surrounding schools. Interestingly, Bear Lake Elementary spends more per student ($14,210 in 2022-2023) compared to the state average, which is notable given the high free/reduced lunch rates.

While Bear Lake Elementary's academic performance is strong, the school has seen a steady increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 14.7% in 2018-2019 to 33.5% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the surrounding schools like Frankfort Elementary. Addressing this concerning trend could have a positive impact on student outcomes. Overall, Bear Lake Elementary appears to be a high-performing school that is effectively supporting its students academically, despite facing challenges related to socioeconomic factors and attendance.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

7748 Cody St
Bear Lake, MI 49614-9789

(231) 864-3133

District: Bear Lake Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
404^th of 1,486 Michigan Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,210

Students who attend Bear Lake Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Bear Lake High School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.8

Number of students: 166

Racial breakdown:

White:

85.5%

Hispanic:

13.3%

African American:

1.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 62%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Bear Lake Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Bear Lake Elementary School ranks better than 72.8% of elementary schools in Michigan. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 70.25. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (85.5%), Hispanic (13.3%), African American (1.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 62% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bear Lake Elementary School is 16.8. (See more...)

Compare Bear Lake Elementary School employs 9.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bear Lake Elementary School is $14,210.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Bear Lake Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Bear Lake Elementary School 404^th of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Bear Lake Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Bear Lake Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Bear Lake Schools 337^th of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Bear Lake Elementary School?

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Rank History for Bear Lake Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Bear Lake Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2006	62.68	652^nd	1545	57.8%
2007	63.80	630^th	1565	59.7%
2008	64.85	642^nd	1577	59.3%
2009	51.42	1024^th	1589	35.6%
2010	51.54	1031^st	1552	33.6%
2011	64.01	652^nd	1552	58.0%
2012	48.96	859^th	1566	45.1%
2013	55.14	745^th	1563	52.3%
2014	43.90	945^th	1533	38.4%
2015	33.97	1099^th	1580	30.4%
2016	38.20	979^th	1548	36.8%
2017	61.43	483^rd	1466	67.1%
2018	53.95	724^th	1448	50.0%
2019	56.46	568^th	1408	59.7%
2021	42.88	624^th	1153	45.9%
2022	43.91	707^th	1344	47.4%
2023	54.56	619^th	1470	57.9%
2024	70.25	404^th	1486	72.8%

See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Bear Lake Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	59.79	523^rd	1397	62.6%
2022	58.36	394^th	1099	64.1%
2023	71.73	253^rd	1350	81.3%
2024	88.25	71^st	1381	94.9%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Bear Lake Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	60.19	586^th	1443	59.4%
2023	60.07	457^th	1321	65.4%
2024	64.96	380^th	1342	71.7%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Bear Lake Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	60.91	482^nd	1334	63.9%
2024	71.74	332^nd	1347	75.4%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Bear Lake Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	46.83	685^th	1253	45.3%
2019	41.41	672^nd	1128	40.4%
2021	36.98	647^th	1005	35.6%
2022	32.98	744^th	1102	32.5%
2023	47.58	625^th	1198	47.8%
2024	60.53	448^th	1204	62.8%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Michigan Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Bear Lake Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	162	0	1	43	0	n/a	n/a	206
1989	164	0	1	44	0	n/a	n/a	209
1990	146	0	1	47	0	n/a	n/a	194
1991	238	0	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	243
1992	143	0	1	36	0	n/a	n/a	180
1993	151	0	1	19	0	n/a	n/a	171
1994	136	0	1	32	1	n/a	n/a	170
1995	133	0	0	24	1	n/a	n/a	158
1996	133	0	0	24	1	n/a	n/a	158
1997	149	0	0	11	0	n/a	n/a	160
1998	144	0	0	16	1	n/a	n/a	161
1999	146	0	0	13	0	n/a	n/a	159
2000	177	1	0	21	0	n/a	n/a	199
2001	160	0	0	21	0	n/a	n/a	181
2002	139	1	0	13	7	n/a	n/a	160
2003	139	1	0	13	7	n/a	n/a	160
2004	158	1	0	16	8	n/a	n/a	183
2005	176	2	1	15	8	n/a	n/a	202
2006	184	3	1	6	0	n/a	n/a	194
2007	167	1	1	10	1	n/a	n/a	180
2008	162	1	2	16	1	n/a	n/a	182
2009	151	0	2	9	3	n/a	n/a	165
2010	187	0	2	17	3	n/a	n/a	209
2011	175	0	2	18	3	0	1	199
2012	162	0	3	27	4	0	1	197
2013	159	2	2	20	3	0	1	187
2014	141	2	1	17	2	1	0	164
2015	136	0	0	14	3	0	0	153
2016	130	0	0	14	6	0	0	150
2017	111	0	0	15	4	0	0	130
2018	115	0	0	12	3	0	0	130
2019	119	0	0	17	5	0	0	141
2020	131	1	0	20	4	0	0	156
2021	133	3	0	25	3	0	0	164
2022	149	1	0	16	3	0	0	169
2023	138	1	0	22	1	0	1	163
2024	142	2	0	22	0	0	0	166

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Bear Lake Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	206	n/a	n/a	n/a
1989	209	n/a	n/a	0
1990	194	20.0	9.7	n/a
1991	243	n/a	n/a	n/a
1992	180	n/a	n/a	n/a
1993	171	n/a	0.0	32.7
1994	170	9.3	18.3	0
1995	158	8.3	19.0	0
1996	158	8.3	19.0	0
1997	160	10.0	16.0	0
1998	161	9.0	17.9	37.3
1999	159	9.0	17.7	25.8
2000	199	20.2	9.9	40.7
2001	181	12.4	14.6	35.9
2002	160	11.4	14.0	46.9
2003	160	11.4	14.0	46.9
2004	183	10.4	17.6	44.3
2005	202	10.6	19.1	41.1
2006	194	10.7	18.1	51.5
2007	180	10.5	17.1	48.9
2008	182	10.2	17.8	57.1
2009	165	10.7	15.4	58.2
2010	209	9.1	22.8	57.9
2011	199	9.9	20.1	58.3
2012	197	9.5	20.6	58.4
2013	187	10.2	18.3	58.8
2014	164	8.5	19.1	56.1
2015	153	8.0	19.1	59.5
2016	150	8.0	18.7	56
2017	130	6.9	18.6	59.2
2018	130	7.1	18.2	63.8
2019	141	7.2	19.3	69.5
2020	156	7.2	21.5	75.6
2021	164	6.9	23.4	79.3
2022	169	9.9	16.9	82.8
2023	163	9.8	16.5	74.8
2024	166	9.8	16.8	62

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Bear Lake Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	206	n/a	n/a	n/a
1989	209	n/a	n/a	0
1990	194	20.0	9.7	n/a
1991	243	n/a	n/a	n/a
1992	180	n/a	n/a	n/a
1993	171	n/a	0.0	32.7
1994	170	9.3	18.3	0
1995	158	8.3	19.0	0
1996	158	8.3	19.0	0
1997	160	10.0	16.0	0
1998	161	9.0	17.9	37.3
1999	159	9.0	17.7	25.8
2000	199	20.2	9.9	40.7
2001	181	12.4	14.6	35.9
2002	160	11.4	14.0	46.9
2003	160	11.4	14.0	46.9
2004	183	10.4	17.6	44.3
2005	202	10.6	19.1	41.1
2006	194	10.7	18.1	51.5
2007	180	10.5	17.1	48.9
2008	182	10.2	17.8	57.1
2009	165	10.7	15.4	58.2
2010	209	9.1	22.8	57.9
2011	199	9.9	20.1	58.3
2012	197	9.5	20.6	58.4
2013	187	10.2	18.3	58.8
2014	164	8.5	19.1	56.1
2015	153	8.0	19.1	59.5
2016	150	8.0	18.7	56
2017	130	6.9	18.6	59.2
2018	130	7.1	18.2	63.8
2019	141	7.2	19.3	69.5
2020	156	7.2	21.5	75.6
2021	164	6.9	23.4	79.3
2022	169	9.9	16.9	82.8
2023	163	9.8	16.5	74.8
2024	166	9.8	16.8	62

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Bear Lake Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,460 (13.2%)	$9,611 (86.8%)	$11,071
2020	$1,424 (15.0%)	$8,073 (85.0%)	$9,498
2021	$2,291 (23.8%)	$7,350 (76.2%)	$9,640
2022	$2,922 (24.8%)	$8,868 (75.2%)	$11,790
2023	$3,754 (26.4%)	$10,456 (73.6%)	$14,210

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Bear Lake Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 568^th of 1408 Elementary schools	Ranks 619^th of 1470 Elementary schools	1.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Bear Lake Elementary School)	33.3	52.2	18.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Bear Lake Schools)	33.3	52.2	18.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.1	40.9	4.2%
3rd Grade Math (Bear Lake Elementary School)	33.3	47.8	14.5%
3rd Grade Math (Bear Lake Schools)	33.3	47.8	14.5%
3rd Grade Math (Michigan)	46.7	42.9	3.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Bear Lake Elementary School)	57.1	28.6	28.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Bear Lake Schools)	57.1	28.6	28.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	46.2	43.9	2.3%
5th Grade Math (Bear Lake Elementary School)	42.9	28.6	14.3%
5th Grade Math (Bear Lake Schools)	42.9	28.6	14.3%
5th Grade Math (Michigan)	34.8	31.5	3.3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Bear Lake Elementary School)	57.9	42.1	15.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Bear Lake Schools)	57.9	42.1	15.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	41.7	37.5	4.2%
6th Grade Math (Bear Lake Elementary School)	47.4	36.8	10.6%
6th Grade Math (Bear Lake Schools)	47.4	36.8	10.6%
6th Grade Math (Michigan)	35.1	29.6	5.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	141	163	15.6%
African American	0	1
American Indian	5	1	80%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	17	22	29.4%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	119	138	16%
Two or More Races	0	1
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	69.5%	74.8%	5.3%

Schools Near Bear Lake Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				M-Step English Language Arts (2024)				M-Step Math (2024)				M-Step Science (2024)	M-Step Social Studies (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	M-Step English Language Arts 3rd Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 4th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 5th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 6th Grade	M-Step Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th Grade	M-Step Math 6th Grade	M-Step Science 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Bear Lake Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	7748 Cody St	Bear Lake	49614	Manistee County	Bear Lake Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 864-3133	166	10	16.8	62.0%	142 (85.5%)	2 (1.2%)	22 (13.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	70.2	404^th of 1486 public elementary schools	72.8%		54.6	619^th of 1470 public elementary schools	57.9%	215	52.4	52.2	57.1	43.5	61.9	39.1	57.1	17.4	61.9	38.1	$14,210	$3,754	$10,456
KND Elementary	Public, Magnet	K-6	4400 Highbridge Rd	Brethren	49619	Manistee County	Kaleva Norman Dickson School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(231) 477-5353	281	17	16.5	76.2%	247 (87.9%)	11 (3.9%)	10 (3.6%)	1 (0.4%)	11 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	14.9	1250^th of 1486 public elementary schools	15.9%		18.9	1172^nd of 1470 public elementary schools	20.3%	78	16.7	22.0	22.0	9.5	16.7	17.1			31.7		$14,916	$3,204	$11,712
Betsie Valley School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	17936 Cadillac Hwy	Thompsonville	49683	Benzie County	Benzie County Central Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(231) 378-4164	140	10	14.0	72.9%	126 (90.0%)	2 (1.4%)	2 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (5.7%)	18.4	1192^nd of 1486 public elementary schools	19.8%		22.9	1099^th of 1470 public elementary schools	25.2%	93	36.0	22.7	14.3		28.0	13.6			14.3		$17,895	$3,147	$14,748
Homestead Hills Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	7048 Severance St	Benzonia	49616	Benzie County	Benzie County Central Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(231) 882-4641	208	18	11.8	64.9%	179 (86.1%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (7.2%)	22.4	1136^th of 1486 public elementary schools	23.6%		26.3	1050^th of 1470 public elementary schools	28.6%	86	21.4	35.7	16.7		35.7	28.6			16.7		$14,293	$2,784	$11,509
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School	Public	K-2	515 Bryant Ave	Manistee	49660	Manistee County	Manistee Area Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 723-9285	281	14	20.3	58.0%	249 (88.6%)	6 (2.1%)	10 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.5%)	1 (0.4%)	8 (2.8%)								(n/a)											$16,190	$2,011	$14,179
Frankfort Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	613 Leelanau Ave	Frankfort	49635	Benzie County	Frankfort-Elberta Area Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 352-4641	234	17	14.0	59.0%	213 (91.0%)	3 (1.3%)	11 (4.7%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	3 (1.3%)	56.8	598^th of 1486 public elementary schools	59.8%		70.1	389^th of 1470 public elementary schools	73.5%	209	35.0	64.1	48.7		36.6	56.4	21.1		48.7		$18,975	$2,159	$16,816
John F Kennedy Elementary School	Public	3-5	1309 Madison Rd	Manistee	49660	Manistee County	Manistee Area Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 723-3271	272	15	18.1	49.6%	236 (86.8%)	3 (1.1%)	11 (4.0%)	1 (0.4%)	4 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (6.3%)	46.4	747^th of 1486 public elementary schools	49.7%		48.7	704^th of 1470 public elementary schools	52.1%	43	45.7	40.7	41.7		47.5	45.3	35.9		33.0	7.8	$14,859	$1,872	$12,988

Bear Lake Elementary School

Bear Lake Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Bear Lake Schools:

What do you think?

Rank History for Bear Lake Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Bear Lake Elementary School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Bear Lake Elementary School

Rank History for Female students at Bear Lake Elementary School

Rank History for Male students at Bear Lake Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Bear Lake Elementary School

Enrollment information for Bear Lake Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Bear Lake Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Bear Lake Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Bear Lake Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Bear Lake Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Bear Lake Elementary School