Best Public Schools in Harrison, MI

The city of Harrison, Michigan, is served by the Harrison Community Schools district, which educates 1,142 students across three public schools—an elementary, middle, and high school—in a community where over three-quarters of students face economic disadvantage.

For parents, the most striking story is Harrison Community High School, which boasts a remarkable 94.5% graduation rate, far exceeding the state average of 84%. This is a clear sign that the school excels at keeping students on track to earn a diploma, even though its test scores lag behind state averages. In contrast, Harrison Middle School shows the most volatility; it made a dramatic improvement in its overall ranking from the 19th to the 30th percentile between 2023-24 and 2024-25, but its scores swing widely year to year. For instance, 8th-grade science proficiency plummeted from a strong 43.9% to just 18.2% the following year. Robert M Larson Elementary School is the largest school with 582 students and posts the district’s best single-subject result, with 35.3% of 3rd graders proficient in math, though its upper-grade math proficiency drops to just 12%.

District-wide, a few challenges stand out. Chronic absenteeism is a serious issue, affecting over 30% of students at every school and peaking at 36.3% in the middle school—well above the state’s 27.9%. Academic proficiency in math and English is consistently below state averages across all grade levels, with middle school math historically being a particular weak point, though recent data shows improvement. The district spends generously—between $17,230 and $19,293 per student—yet this high investment has not translated into top-tier test scores, likely because resources are diverted to address the substantial needs tied to poverty. Ultimately, the high school’s graduation success offers a beacon of hope, but the persistent achievement gaps and attendance issues indicate that foundational academic proficiency remains the district’s biggest hurdle.