February 1, 2026
Dear Parents and Community Members:
We are pleased to present you with the Annual Education Report (AER), which provides key information on the 2024-25 educational progress for Buchanan Elementary. The AER addresses the complex reporting information required by federal and state laws. The school’s report contains information about student assessment, accountability, and teacher quality. If you have any questions about the AER, contact ThomasmaM@grps.org or call our school’s main office at (616) 819-2252 for assistance.
The AER is available for you to review electronically by clicking this link, or you may review a copy in the main office at your child’s school.
For the 2025-26 school year, schools were identified based on previous years’ performance using definitions and labels as required in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). A Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) school is one that had at least one underperforming student group in 2024-25. An Additional Targeted Support (ATS) school is one that had at least one student group performing at the same level as the lowest 5% of all schools in the state in 2021-22. A Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) school is one whose performance was in the lowest 5% of all schools in the state, had a graduation rate at or below 67%, failed to exit CSI status in 2024-25, or failed to exit ATS status in 2021-22. Some schools are not identified with any of these labels. In these cases, no status label is given.
Our school has not been given one of these labels.
Click here to view the School Index Overview for our school. This site provides additional information about key performance indicators.
We continue to implement the district’s Academic Plan that focuses on creating a learning culture to advance students’ thinking and providing a rigorous and standards-based curriculum to help students achieve College- and Career-Readiness by the time they graduate.
State law requires that we also report additional information.
About Our School
Buchanan Elementary School has a dedicated staff that is committed to helping students succeed in school. It has implemented the Balanced Literacy Model for language arts instruction, as well as the Everyday Math program for kindergarten through fifth grade students. Staff collaborates weekly to review student work and to discuss and adjust instructional practices. Buchanan continues its Family Support Team, which helps to meet the needs of struggling students. In addition, Buchanan houses the Bright Beginnings Early Childhood Program, which provides services to families throughout Kent County with children birth through age five. In order to provide students an opportunity to begin their education at an early age, it also offers four, half day sessions of preschool. The full-day kindergarten program allows staff to routinely assess students and provide a strong academic program.
Mission Statement
Our mission is to ensure that all students are educated, self-directed, and productive members of society.
Process for Assigning Pupils to Our School
Our school is a neighborhood school with a geographic attendance area. Students who reside in our attendance area are eligible to enroll in our school. Click here to view the GRPS Attendance Area Finder. It shows the neighborhood elementary school, middle school, and high school for your address. Additional options, including K-8 schools, theme schools, and Centers of Innovation are available. Please contact Student Services at (616) 819-2150 to learn more about your school choices.
Local Assessment Results
NWEA’s Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) is the district’s local assessment. The table below reflects the proportion of students who scored at or above the 50th National Percentile in Reading and Math during Spring 2024 and Spring 2025.
NWEA Measure of Academic Progress
Students Scoring at or above the 50th National Percentile
Reading
| Grade Level | Spring 2024 | Spring 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 23% | 8% |
| Grade 1 | 24% | 7% |
| Grade 2 | 23% | 20% |
| Grade 3 | 24% | 26% |
| Grade 4 | 20% | 21% |
| Grade 5 | 17% | 18% |
Math
| Grade Level | Spring 2024 | Spring 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 34% | 11% |
| Grade 1 | 33% | 24% |
| Grade 2 | 30% | 35% |
| Grade 3 | 17% | 29% |
| Grade 4 | 16% | 11% |
| Grade 5 | 6% | 15% |
Core Curriculum
GRPS continues to...
- Align curricula to Michigan Grade Level Content Standards and College and Career Readiness Standards.
- Provide professional development that supports our Academic Plan.
- Assess student learning so teachers have accurate information about each student.
- Define individualized student targets, school-wide targets, and district achievement targets.
We are committed to ensuring our students reach their full academic potential. Feel free to contact our school if you have questions or need additional information.
Thank you for your interest in our school!
Sincerely,
Michael Thomasma
Principal, Buchanan Elementary
