Walters Elementary vs Hughes Elementary School

Walters Elementary and Hughes Elementary School sit 1.8 miles apart in Marshall, Michigan, and their overall ratings are nearly identical — Walters Elementary at 9.2/10 versus Hughes Elementary School at 9.1/10, a 0.1-point gap. In Michigan's statewide context, that slim margin still translates to a meaningful positional difference: Walters Elementary ranks #52 of 3,190 Michigan schools, while Hughes Elementary School ranks #66 of 3,190. Both placements put these schools in the top 2% of the state, making Marshall an unusually strong district for elementary-age families regardless of which campus they choose.

The academic and growth scores tell a more nuanced story. Hughes Elementary School carries a higher academic score — 9.2/10 against Walters Elementary's 8.6/10, a gap of 0.6 points — suggesting its students are performing at a higher absolute proficiency level in tested subjects. Walters Elementary, however, edges ahead on growth: 9.8/10 versus Hughes Elementary School's 9.6/10. That distinction matters for families with students who are working to close gaps or accelerate — Walters Elementary's environment is producing slightly stronger year-over-year gains relative to expectations.

On the demographic and structural side, Walters Elementary enrolls 293 students compared to Hughes Elementary School's 266, making it modestly larger. The student-teacher ratio at Walters Elementary is 14.7:1, somewhat better than Hughes Elementary School's 15.6:1, which means on average each Walters teacher is responsible for about one fewer student. Hughes Elementary School serves a higher share of economically disadvantaged students — 48% free or reduced lunch eligibility versus 41% at Walters Elementary — a difference of 7 percentage points that adds context to how each school's academic score was achieved.

Both schools serve the same grade span, PK through 5th grade, so families with children at any elementary age have equivalent access to either campus. No structural difference in grade configuration separates them; the choice comes down to the performance nuances above rather than any program-level gap in grade offerings.