McAlearSawden Elem School

McAlearSawden Elem School is a reasonably sized elementary-level community in BAY CITY, Michigan, part of Bay City School District. The school educates 378 students in grades pre-K through 5.

Within Bay City School District, which oversees 13 schools and 6,030 students, McAlearSawden Elem School is one campus in the system.

Demographically, McAlearSawden Elem School records that nearly all students (82%) are White; the rest reads as 9% Hispanic, 6% multiracial. The wider county runs roughly 91% White, putting the school's mix visibly less White than the area baseline.

On the resource side, The school employs 26 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 14.5:1. The state averages around 15.8:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Roughly 54% of students at McAlearSawden Elem School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment.

After controlling for student poverty, McAlearSawden Elem School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 42.4% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 34.6%.

Zooming out to the county, census data for Bay County shows median household earnings sit near $61,763, roughly 22% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 10% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Bay County's 34 public schools (combined enrollment of about 12,525 students), McAlearSawden Elem School is one campus in the mix.

Bay City Adult EducationCTP is the nearest neighboring public school, about 1.5 miles from this campus. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around McAlearSawden Elem School. Among the 6 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), McAlearSawden Elem School ranks 3rd on composite proficiency, above the local average of 34.5%.

Geographically, the school is in a residential area.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count decreased 19%: 465 students in 2018 compared to 378 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share shrank from 88% to 82%. Class-load math has narrowed: from 19.0:1 in 2018 to 14.5:1 in 2025.

On allk12, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Members of the school community can share what they know.