Summary:
The city of Alpena, Michigan is home to 8 schools, including 4 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 2 high schools, and 1 alternative school. The schools in this district face significant challenges, with wide disparities in academic performance, high rates of poverty and absenteeism, and uneven resource allocation.
Among the standout schools in the district are Besser Elementary School and Hinks Elementary School, which consistently perform above the district and state averages on standardized test scores. In contrast, Thunder Bay Junior High School struggles in Math, with 6th-8th graders scoring below district and state averages. The district's high schools, Alpena High School and ACES Academy, both have 4-year graduation rates around 82.8%, slightly below the state average.
Across the district, there are significant concerns, including high chronic absenteeism rates, around 29.5%, and high percentages of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 54.9% at Alpena High School to 94.7% at Lincoln Elementary. The wide range in per-student spending, from $12,182 at Besser Elementary to $18,035 at Lincoln Elementary, may also be a factor in the performance differences between schools. While some schools are performing well, the district as a whole has room for improvement, as evidenced by its 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.
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