Best Public Schools in Gladwin, MI

The city of Gladwin, Michigan, is served by the Gladwin Community Schools district, which operates five schools for approximately 1,655 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The district overall earns a 3-star rating, but this average masks a dramatic split: the secondary schools outperform state norms while the elementary and middle schools generally lag behind.

The standout is Gladwin High School, which earns a 4-star rating and beats state averages in every tested subject. Its 11th graders are particularly strong in Science (51.5% proficient vs. 35.2% statewide) and Social Studies (61.6% vs. 43.2%), and the school posts a 91.7% graduation rate. This success comes despite having the district's lowest per-student funding ($12,359) and highest student-teacher ratio (24.1:1). In contrast, Gladwin Junior High School struggles significantly—6th grade math proficiency is just 13.5% (18.4 points below the state), and its overall ranking has slipped from the 66th to the 47th percentile in two years. The junior high also shows a troubling year-over-year decline in 6th grade ELA, dropping from 35.7% to 21.8% proficiency.

The district's biggest challenge is the "middle school dip." While Gladwin Intermediate School 3rd graders nearly match state math averages (40% vs. 42.9%), by 6th grade that figure collapses to 13.5%. However, students appear to recover by high school, suggesting effective interventions or a changing student population. Gladwin Community Alternative High School serves just 23 students, 78% of whom are economically disadvantaged, and reports a 50% graduation rate with a 0% dropout rate—likely indicating transfers rather than formal dropouts. Chronic absenteeism rises with grade level, reaching 29.5% at the high school, while Gladwin Elementary School receives the most funding ($14,749 per student) but serves grades PK-2 where no test data exists. Notably, economic disadvantage decreases from 57% at the elementary level to 40% at the high school, suggesting disadvantaged students may be disproportionately leaving the traditional track.