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Average

#1739 of 3,192 schools in MI

Macdonald Middle School

Middle School · East Lansing School District · East Lansing, MI

An East Lansing School District middle school where students score 3 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1601 BURCHAM DR, East Lansing, MI 48823

  • Math 40% vs MI 32% (2022)
  • Reading 54% vs MI 45% (2022)
  • 19.6:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress6.2Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-2.65 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics7.2Very Good35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency40.6% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency54.2% (2022 EdFacts)
Math vs. State Avg+11.7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+16.1 pts
Overall Proficiency47% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)51% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected-3.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile58th
Resources & Environment4.5Below Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio19.6:1
District spending per student$13,739
Chronic Absenteeism29.5%

Students at Macdonald Middle School score 47% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 51%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MI average.

Math Proficiency40%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
32%(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency54%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
45%(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 6 points since 2019, to 47% in 2022, across a 14-year record (2009–2022).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
84%
ELA
88%
2010
Math
88%
ELA
88%
2011
Math
51%
ELA
74%
2012
Math
54%
ELA
72%
2013
Math
56%
ELA
77%
2014
Math
51%
ELA
70%
2015
Math
50%
ELA
63%
2016
Math
47%
ELA
62%
2017
Math
46%
ELA
57%
2018
Math
45%
ELA
61%
2019
Math
45%
ELA
61%
2020*
Math
40%
ELA
66%
2021*
Math
40%
ELA
66%
2022
Math
40%
ELA
54%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 51% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 66% (multi-year average, 2009-2022)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 34 test records from MI state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

37.5%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Macdonald Middle School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 18Car-Dependent
  • Bike 71Very Bikeable
  • City Safety: Elevated1,452/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (East Lansing), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$50,837

Median home value

$261,100

Median rent

$1,127/mo

College educated

63.8%

Homeownership

43.9%

Poverty rate

31.8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 48823; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Haslett Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.06–82.8 mi618Compare →
Chippewa Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.46–83.4 mi679Compare →
Michigan Connections AcademyCharter · enrollment unverified5.5K–123.4 mi1,645Compare →
Kinawa SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.15–63.7 mi726Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

East Lansing School District

Schools in district
8
Rank in district
#7 of 8
District spending per student
$13,739NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
10.8%Census SAIPE · 2024

Macdonald Middle School is listed in East Lansing School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Macdonald Middle School

Macdonald Middle School is a public middle school in East Lansing, MI, part of East Lansing School District, serving approximately 842 students in grades 6th-8th with a 19.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.1 out of 10 and ranks #1,739 of 3,192 schools in MI. State assessment records show 51% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 66% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Macdonald Middle School

What grades does Macdonald Middle School serve?

Macdonald Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Macdonald Middle School?

Macdonald Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 842 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Macdonald Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Macdonald Middle School is 19.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Macdonald Middle School rank in MI?

Macdonald Middle School ranks #1,739 of 3,192 schools in MI.

What is Macdonald Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Macdonald Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.1 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Macdonald Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Macdonald Middle School has 51% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 66% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Macdonald Middle School a charter school?

No, Macdonald Middle School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Macdonald Middle School a Title I school?

No, Macdonald Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Macdonald Middle School?

37.5% of students at Macdonald Middle School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
842
Student-Teacher Ratio
19.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
43
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Ingham County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
29.5%
Area population (ZIP 48823)
49,379
Area average commute
19.3 min
Area median age
24.6
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 48823; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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