Summary:
Commerce Twp, Michigan, is home to two schools within the highly-rated Huron Valley Schools district, serving grades 9-12 but offering vastly different educational paths for its students.
For parents considering traditional high school options, Harbor High School presents a significant concern. Despite being part of a district ranked in the top 26% of Michigan, this school is a stark outlier, ranking in the bottom 12% statewide with a 0-star rating. The most alarming statistic is its chronic absenteeism rate of 70.7%, which is more than triple the district rate and nearly 2.5 times the state average. This directly correlates with critically low test scores; for example, only 16.2% of 11th graders are proficient in SAT Reading and Writing compared to 60.8% for the district. Proficiency drops dramatically from 53.85% in 9th grade ELA to just 21.2% in 10th grade, suggesting a serious engagement problem as students advance. While the school's graduation rate of 87% is above the state average, its dropout rate is nearly double the district's. Even with a high per-student spending of $19,877, the school's performance is trending downward, indicating that resources alone are not solving the underlying challenges.
In contrast, Huron Valley Adult Education serves a completely different purpose with only 15 students. This alternative program lacks traditional ranking and test score data, reflecting its specialized role for adult learners. Its per-student cost of $78,635 is exceptionally high, a figure skewed by the tiny enrollment but highlighting the expensive, individualized nature of adult education. For parents, the choice is clear: Harbor High School offers a traditional path but with severe academic and attendance struggles, while the Adult Education program provides a specialized, small-scale alternative for a unique demographic. The district's overall excellence does not extend to Harbor High, making it essential for families to investigate this school closely.
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