Best Public Schools in Caro, MI

The city of Caro, Michigan, is served by six public schools—two elementary schools, one middle school, two high schools, and one alternative school—that collectively educate about 1,461 students from Pre-K through 12th grade, with the majority of schools belonging to the Caro Community Schools district and one school operating under the Tuscola Independent School District (Isd).

For parents, the standout choice for academic success is clearly Caro High School, which posts a 94% graduation rate and a mere 2% dropout rate—far better than the district and state averages. It also leads in science and social studies proficiency, both above state levels, and its state ranking jumped from the 38th to the 56th percentile in one year. However, its SAT math proficiency (22.1%) remains a weak spot. In contrast, Caro Alternative High School struggles significantly, with only a 41.1% graduation rate, a 29.4% dropout rate, and a chronic absenteeism rate of 56.5%, suggesting the district may be concentrating its most at-risk students there. At the elementary level, Schall Elementary School stands out for having the lowest chronic absenteeism (18.6%) despite a high poverty rate, while McComb Elementary School also keeps absenteeism relatively low. Caro Middle School is the weakest link academically, with math proficiency plummeting to just 17.3% in 7th grade, and social studies lags state averages across all elementary and middle grades.

A notable concern is the achievement cliff between 5th and 6th grade, where math and reading scores drop, suggesting a difficult transition to middle school. Math proficiency also declines relative to state averages as students advance, pointing to compounding foundational gaps. Highland Pines School is an outlier, spending over $103,000 per student—more than six times any other local school—yet reports a 0% graduation rate, reflecting its mission to serve a highly at-risk population with a favorable 6:1 student-teacher ratio. Overall, while Caro High School shows positive momentum, the district faces systemic challenges in math achievement, middle school transitions, and supporting its alternative school population.