Best Public Schools in Holland, MI

The city of Holland, Michigan is home to a diverse array of 27 schools spanning 16 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 6 high schools, and 2 alternative schools across three school districts: West Ottawa Public School District, Holland City School District, and Hamilton Community Schools.

The data reveals stark contrasts in school performance within the Holland area. Black River Public School MiddleHigh, a public charter school, stands out with a 100% four-year graduation rate, 0% dropout rate, and only 7% chronic absenteeism. It also boasts very high test scores, with 76.6% of students proficient in SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and 46.9% proficient in SAT Mathematics. In contrast, Dunes Alternative High School struggles with a 69.8% four-year graduation rate and 33.3% dropout rate. The data suggests a correlation between socioeconomic factors, such as the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, and academic performance, with the highest-poverty schools tending to have the lowest test scores and highest chronic absenteeism.

The presence of several public charter schools, like Eagle Crest Charter Academy and Black River Public School MiddleHigh, indicates that school choice may be an important factor in the Holland education landscape, as these charter schools are outperforming many of the traditional public schools in the area. However, the alternative and virtual schools, such as Holland Virtual Technical High School, face significant challenges, with high dropout rates, low graduation rates, and very high chronic absenteeism.