Summary:
Marquette Area Public Schools serves roughly 3,200 students across seven schools in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, including four elementary schools, one middle school, and two high schools, and overall ranks in the 81st percentile statewide with a 4-star rating.
For parents, the standout option is Sandy Knoll School, which earns a 5-star rating and ranks in the 90th percentile. It posts the district’s lowest chronic absenteeism (11.3%), the smallest class sizes (13.8:1), and the highest elementary test scores—its 5th grade math proficiency of 67.9% is nearly double the district average and more than double the state average. By contrast, Graveraet Elementary School spends the most per student ($19,492) yet produces mid-tier results, including a 5th grade math proficiency of just 29.8%. Cherry Creek Elementary School shows the most volatile performance, with 5th grade math collapsing from 32.8% to 16.9% year-over-year, while Superior Hills Elementary School sits in the middle with steady improvement in its statewide ranking.
At the secondary level, Marquette Senior High School is a consistent standout with a 97% graduation rate, a 0.0% dropout rate, and SAT scores 20–30 points above state averages, though it shows a persistent 28-point gap between ELA (67.5%) and math (39.5%) proficiency. Bothwell Middle School maintains solid academics—8th grade science at 53.2% is 14 points above the state—but chronic absenteeism jumps to 34.8%, signaling a difficult transition from elementary. The biggest concern is Vandenboom Alternative High School, where chronic absenteeism reaches 63.4%, graduation is 75%, and SAT reading proficiency is just 37.9%—all far below the district’s main high school. Its ranking dropped from the 71st to 35th percentile, though with only 127 students, year-to-year swings can be misleading. Overall, Sandy Knoll and Marquette Senior High provide strong models, while the district’s key challenges are the 5th grade math drop-off, middle school absenteeism, and the wide gaps at Vandenboom.
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