High Schools in Kensington Woods Schools

Kensington Woods Schools is a single, small public school district in Lakeland, Michigan, serving grades 6 through 12 with a total enrollment of 114 students. This intimate setting offers a 10.5:1 student-to-teacher ratio, and the school has earned a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger, ranking #12 out of 800 Michigan high schools for the 2025-2026 school year—a remarkable jump from #195 the prior year.

For parents, the standout feature is the exceptional performance of the 11th-grade cohort. In science, 84% of these students are proficient versus a 35.2% state average, and in social studies, 80% are proficient versus 43.2% statewide. Upperclassmen also shine on the SAT and PSAT, with 11th-grade math proficiency at 48% (state: 26.5%) and 10th-grade ELA at 84.2% (state: 58%). However, this strength does not extend to the middle grades. 8th-grade math proficiency sits at 30.8%, slightly below the state’s 33.2%, and 7th-grade math was 10 points under the state average in the prior year. This creates a clear divide: the school excels with older students but struggles to build foundational math skills in younger ones.

There are also warning signs beneath the strong test scores. The graduation rate is 75%, nine points below the state average, and chronic absenteeism affects 34.4% of students—well above the 27.9% state figure. Given the tiny cohort sizes (roughly 15-20 students per grade), a single year’s dramatic swings, like the +37.9-point jump in 11th-grade social studies, can be misleading. While the current 11th graders are high achievers, the weaker math performance of the 7th and 8th graders suggests future rankings could be volatile. With per-student spending of $10,990 and a favorable teacher ratio, the district invests heavily in individual attention, yet the middle-school math gap and attendance issues indicate areas where that investment may need to be redirected to ensure sustained success across all grade levels.