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Below Average

#2892 of 3,192 schools in MI

Patrick Hamilton Elementary

Elementary School · Dowagiac Union School District · Dowagiac, MI

A Dowagiac Union School District elementary school serving grades Kindergarten – 5th.

243 SOUTH FRONT ST, Dowagiac, MI 49047

  • Math 15% vs MI 37% (2022)
  • Reading 21% vs MI 43% (2022)
  • 14.7:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.7Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-4.35 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics4.6Below Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency15% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency20.9% (2022 EdFacts)
Math vs. State Avg-26.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-21 pts
Overall Proficiency18% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)21% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected-2.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile28th
Resources & Environment6.6Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.7:1
District spending per student$15,432
Chronic Absenteeism46.4%

Students at Patrick Hamilton Elementary score 18% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 21%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MI average.

Math Proficiency15%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
37%(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency21%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
43%(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 59 points across the 14-year record (2009–2022) and has held near 18% recently.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
77%
ELA
77%
2010
Math
82%
ELA
77%
2011
Math
22%
ELA
52%
2012
Math
22%
ELA
52%
2013
Math
37%
ELA
57%
2014
Math
22%
ELA
37%
2015
Math
27%
ELA
32%
2016
Math
27%
ELA
32%
2017
Math
22%
ELA
22%
2018
Math
12%
ELA
17%
2019
Math
12%
ELA
17%
2020*
Math
17%
ELA
27%
2021*
Math
17%
ELA
27%
2022
Math
15%
ELA
21%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 27% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 36% (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

86.8%

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 Patrick Hamilton Elementary 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 50Somewhat Walkable
  • Bike 50Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,170/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Dowagiac), 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

$55,469

Median home value

$182,000

Median rent

$750/mo

College educated

21.2%

Homeownership

72.4%

Poverty rate

19.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 49047; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
North Pointe CenterEnrollment path unverified7.9K–120.7 mi43Compare →
Justus Gage Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.1PK–50.8 mi283Compare →
Calvary Bible AcademyPrivate · tuitionNot ratedK–111.6 mi25Compare →
Kincheloe Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.9K–54.2 mi224Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Dowagiac Union School District

Schools in district
7
Rank in district
#7 of 7
District spending per student
$15,432NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
22.5%Census SAIPE · 2024

Patrick Hamilton Elementary is listed in Dowagiac Union School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Patrick Hamilton Elementary

Patrick Hamilton Elementary is a public elementary school in Dowagiac, MI, part of Dowagiac Union School District, serving approximately 220 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 14.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.0 out of 10 and ranks #2,892 of 3,192 schools in MI. State assessment records show 27% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 36% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Patrick Hamilton Elementary

What grades does Patrick Hamilton Elementary serve?

Patrick Hamilton Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Patrick Hamilton Elementary?

Patrick Hamilton Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 220 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Patrick Hamilton Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Patrick Hamilton Elementary is 14.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Patrick Hamilton Elementary rank in MI?

Patrick Hamilton Elementary ranks #2,892 of 3,192 schools in MI.

What is Patrick Hamilton Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Patrick Hamilton Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.0 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 Patrick Hamilton Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Patrick Hamilton Elementary has 27% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 36% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Patrick Hamilton Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Patrick Hamilton Elementary a Title I school?

No, Patrick Hamilton Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Patrick Hamilton Elementary?

86.8% of students at Patrick Hamilton Elementary 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
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
220
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
15
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Town
County
Cass County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
46.4%
Area population (ZIP 49047)
14,506
Area average commute
22.6 min
Area median age
42.9
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 49047; 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

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