Summary:
The Michigan Collegiate district is a small, two-school system in the Warren/Roseville area serving roughly 792 students from grades PK-12, with both schools facing significant economic challenges and academic struggles.
For parents, the most striking finding is the dramatic difference in resources between the two schools. Michigan Collegiate Elementary spends an extraordinary $37,170 per student—more than ten times the $3,594 spent at Michigan Collegiate MiddleHigh School—yet both schools post proficiency rates that are 20 to 30 points below state averages. The elementary school serves grades PK-6 with 232 students and has a slightly better student-teacher ratio (11.1:1 versus 21.5:1), but its academic results remain critically low, with 3rd grade math proficiency at just 25% and 5th grade science at 8.7%. The middle/high school, serving 560 students in grades 7-12, shows math proficiency between 5.5% and 8%—meaning over 90% of students are not meeting grade-level standards—and a graduation rate of only 75% with a 14% dropout rate.
Perhaps the most urgent issue facing both schools is chronic absenteeism, which affects 61.1% of middle/high students and 50.2% of elementary students—roughly double the state average of 27.9%. With 87-93% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, poverty is pervasive, but the attendance crisis is likely the single biggest barrier to improvement. There is some hope: 3rd grade ELA and math scores improved by roughly 15-17 points year-over-year, and 7th grade ELA jumped from 5.4% to 30% proficiency. However, the overall pattern shows students losing ground as they advance, with 11th grade SAT reading proficiency dropping to just 12.1%. Parents should know that while the elementary school receives far more funding per student, neither school is currently delivering results that approach state averages, and addressing the attendance crisis will be essential for any meaningful progress.
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