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Best Elementary Schools in Grand Rapids, MI (2025-26)
Every ranked elementary school in Grand Rapids, MI, ordered by SchoolGrade. A grade rewards actual test performance against the projection for each school's student context, so a B in a high-poverty school can outrank an A- elsewhere on impact. Click a column heading to sort, or filter by school, city or district.
Grand Rapids, MI rankings: Elementary Schools
Grand Rapids, MI elementary schools ranked
How Grand Rapids, MI's elementary schools compare
A: 12B: 9C: 15D: 16F: 7
36% of the 59 ranked elementary schools in Grand Rapids, MI earn an A or B (12 A grades, 9 B, 15 C, 16 D, 7 F), against 46% of elementary schools nationwide. 48 schools meet or beat the proficiency projected from their student context (81% here, 70% nationally), and 28 exceed it. On average 37% of tested students meet the state bar against a projected 30% (national averages: 46% actual, 37% projected).
The biggest overperformers, by actual proficiency above projection: Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center (66% against 41%, A), Coit Creative Arts Academy (39% against 16%, C+), Lakeside School (80% against 59%, A+), Knapp Charter Academy (43% against 22%, B-), Ridge Park Charter Academy (40% against 19%, C+).
Districts with the most schools in the top quarter (the top 15): Forest Hills Public Schools (7), East Grand Rapids Public Schools (3).
The largest ranked elementary schools: Discovery Elementary (711 students, C+, #26), Walker Charter Academy (698 students, B+, #13), Harrison Park Academy (639 students, F, #56).
Of the top 25, 0 are magnet schools and 4 are charters. Selective and specialised schools tend to post high actual scores; the projection column is the fairer comparison for a neighborhood school.
Elementary schools in Grand Rapids, MI that are not ranked
5 graded elementary schools are listed here rather than ranked, each for the reason given. Every one has its own page with its full SchoolGrade report.
Not yet graded (5)
Our source data has no school-level proficiency results for these schools, so they carry no SchoolGrade yet.
- East Leonard Elementary, Grand Rapids
- Kent Education Centeroakleigh, Grand Rapids
- Southeast Kelloggsville School, Grand Rapids
- Stocking Elementary, Grand Rapids
- West Kelloggsville School, Grand Rapids
About this ranking
- Scope: public elementary schools in Grand Rapids, MI, as grouped on its schools page; the Michigan ranking covers the whole state.
- Order: SchoolGrade, then actual proficiency, then name; schools with the same grade and score share a rank.
- Ranked: regular public schools that NCES lists as open, not fully online, with at least 30 students. Others are listed with the reason.
- Tags: Magnet and Charter from the NCES school directory; K-12 marks schools serving every grade that are ranked with the elementary schools.
- Grades are the 2025-26 SchoolGrade model. How SchoolGrade works
Questions about elementary schools in Grand Rapids, MI
What is the best elementary school in Grand Rapids, MI?
Knapp Forest Elementary School in Grand Rapids ranks first among the 59 ranked elementary schools in Grand Rapids, MI with a SchoolGrade of A+, 85% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 71%.
How are elementary schools in Grand Rapids, MI ranked?
By SchoolGrade, the 2025-26 model that scores each school's actual test proficiency against the level projected for its student context, then by actual proficiency to break ties. Regular public schools that are open, not fully online and have at least 30 students are ranked; the rest are listed below the table with the reason.
How many elementary schools does Grand Rapids, MI have?
SchoolGrade grades 64 public elementary schools in Grand Rapids, MI; 59 are ranked here and 5 are listed as not ranked.