MI's Best Middle Schools Ranked In New Analysis

Dearborn Stem Middle School in Dearborn Heights is the best public middle school in Michigan, according to a new ranking from U.S. News & World Report.

U.S. News researchers based the 2026 ranking of the nation’s best public middle schools on publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Education. The researchers ranked more than 23,000 middle schools in its 2026 report, which was released Tuesday.

The top 25 public middle schools in Michigan are:

1. Dearborn Stem Middle School - Dearborn City School District
2. Avondale Gifted and Talented Education - Avondale School District
3. Middle School Mathematics Science Technology Center - Warren Consolidated Schools
4. Waldron Elementary and Middle School - Fowler Public Schools
5. Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy - Saginaw School District
6. Honey Creek Community School - Honey Creek Community School
7. Central Middle School - Forest Hills Public Schools
8. Plymouth Scholars Charter Academy - Plymouth Scholars Charter Academy
9. South Hills Middle School - Bloomfield Hills Schools
10. Boulan Park Middle School - Troy School District
11. Byron Center West Middle School - Byron Center Public Schools
12. South Arbor Charter Academy - South Arbor Charter Academy
13. Birmingham Covington School - Birmingham Public Schools
14. Achieve Charter Academy - Achieve Charter Academy
15. Northern Hills Middle School - Forest Hills Public Schools
16. East Middle School - Plymouth-Canton Community Schools
17. Clague Middle School - Ann Arbor Public Schools
18. Novi Middle School - Novi Community School District
19. Chandler Woods Charter Academy - Chandler Woods Charter Academy
20. Cross Creek Charter Academy - Cross Creek Charter Academy
21. Hillside Middle School - Northville Public Schools
22. East Grand Rapids Middle School - East Grand Rapids Public Schools
23. Farmington Stem Academy - Farmington Public School District
24. Meads Mill Middle School - Northville Public Schools
25. Spring Lake Intermediate School - Spring Lake Public Schools

• Related — These Are The Top Elementary Schools In MI, U.S. News Says In New Ranking

The ranking methodology considered student proficiency in math and reading/language arts state assessments, adjusting for student backgrounds and core subject achievements. In cases of ties, student-teacher ratios were used as a deciding factor.

The rankings are intended as an evaluation tool to give parents a snapshot of how well schools provide a high-quality education and prepare students for a successful future, LaMont Jones, managing editor for Education at U.S. News, said in a news release.