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Public elementary school · Brandywine Community Schools · Niles, Michigan

Merritt Elementary School

Merritt Elementary School's 6.7 is partly an estimate: with no state test scores on file, its academic component is borrowed, at reduced weight, from 12 schools in Niles.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
6.7this school

6.7 on a one-to-ten scale; the Brandywine Community Schools median is 5.2.

#1,270 of 3,198 schools in Michigan · Brandywine Community Schools: 1 elementary schools rated, median 5.2 · Partly an estimate: the academic component is borrowed, at reduced weight, from 12 schools in Niles

The brief

A Brandywine Community Schools elementary school serving grades Pre-K – 2nd.

It ranks 1,270 of 3,198 schools in Michigan and 2 of 5 in Brandywine Community Schools.

Merritt Elementary School is listed in Brandywine Community Schools, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

The rating blends 2 components; no state test results are on file for this campus.MySchoolScout ranking model.

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
Requires 2+ years of test data
Academics
6.3
55% of the rating, estimated from 12 schools in Niles
Resources & Environment
7.2
45% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 3 sources, 2019–2024

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

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

  • Estimated academic score. This school does not have standardized test data. Based on 12 schools in Niles. Learn more
  • Based on limited data: 44% component coverage.
  • Component weights adjusted due to data availability.

Partial Profile · 2/3 metrics

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.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource 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 49120; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments vintage unavailable; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Merritt Elementary School and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$61,940
Median home value
$166,800
Median rent
$911/mo
College educated
20.5%
Homeownership
78.5%
Poverty rate
14.5%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 49120; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
12
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
29
Somewhat Bikeable
City reported crime
1,721/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Niles. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Niles), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
76.2%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 9.5Compare →
  2. 8.4Compare →
  3. Merritt Elementary Schoolthis school
    6.7
  4. 6.4Compare →
  5. 6.3Compare →
  6. 6.3Compare →
  7. 5.0Compare →
  8. not ratedCompare →
  9. not ratedCompare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and two rate higher than Merritt Elementary School among the rated peers.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Merritt Elementary School serve?

Merritt Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 2nd.

How many students attend Merritt Elementary School?

Merritt Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 320 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Merritt Elementary School?

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

How does Merritt Elementary School rank in MI?

Merritt Elementary School ranks #1,270 of 3,198 schools in MI.

What is Merritt Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Merritt Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.7 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

Is Merritt Elementary School a charter school?

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

Is Merritt Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Merritt Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Merritt Elementary School?

76.2% of students at Merritt Elementary 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 facts

Grades
Pre-K – 2nd
Enrollment
320
Student-teacher ratio
16:1
Teachers (FTE)
20
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Berrien County
Rank in district
#2 of 5
Schools in district
5
District spending per student
$13,432
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
14.4%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 49120)
36,652
Area average commute
23.1 min
Area median age
43

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Michigan Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.