Best Public Schools in Traverse City, MI

The Traverse City, Michigan area is home to a diverse mix of 24 schools, including 13 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 5 high schools, and 4 alternative schools. The schools are spread across several districts, with Traverse City Area Public Schools being the largest. Overall, the schools in this area demonstrate a wide range of performance, with some standout institutions alongside lower-performing ones.

Among the top-performing schools in the area are The Greenspire High School, a public charter high school that ranks among the top 64 high schools in Michigan, and TCAPS Montessori School, a public elementary/middle school that ranks in the top 200 elementary schools in the state. Other high-achieving schools include Old Mission Peninsula School, a public charter elementary school. These schools generally have strong test scores, high graduation rates, and low dropout rates.

However, the data also reveals significant performance gaps between the highest and lowest-performing schools in the area. For example, on the 3rd grade ELA M-Step, Willow Hill Elementary had 75.4% proficiency, while Blair Elementary had just 14.29% proficiency. The alternative schools in the area, while maintaining strong graduation and low dropout rates, also tend to have lower test scores and serve a higher-need student population, as evidenced by their higher free/reduced lunch rates.