Best High Schools in Custer, MI

There is just one high school serving the rural community of Custer, Michigan: Mason County Eastern Junior High/High School, part of the Mason County Eastern Schools district, which covers grades 7 through 12 with a small enrollment of 176 students.

For parents considering this school, the standout story is its exceptional graduation rate of 96.8%—nearly 13 points above the state average—despite 63% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. The school has also been improving its state ranking, jumping from 259th to 214th in Michigan and earning a 4-star rating in the most recent year. Academically, the school shows a fascinating pattern: 7th and 8th graders trail state averages in most subjects (for example, 7th grade ELA proficiency is just 19.05% versus the state's 38.4%), but by 11th grade, students dramatically outperform the state in Science (48.3% vs. 35.2%) and Social Studies (48.3% vs. 43.2%). The 9th grade PSAT English score is a remarkable outlier at 81.25% proficiency, a full 21 points above the state average. This suggests strong academic growth and effective interventions during the high school years.

However, there are areas of concern. Chronic absenteeism affects one in four students (25%), and SAT Reading/Writing proficiency (46.7%) trails the state (52.1%). Additionally, 8th grade Science proficiency dropped sharply from 50% to 28.6% year-over-year, which may warrant attention. The school spends a substantial $17,742 per student, reflecting the higher costs of running a small rural school. Overall, this is a school that excels at getting students to graduation and shows real strengths in upper-grade science and literacy, but families should be aware that early middle school performance lags behind state norms—though the school's trajectory suggests students who stay the course tend to improve significantly by junior year.