Summary:
There is only one high school in the WAY Academy - Flint district, WAY Academy Flint Flint Campus, a small public charter school serving grades 7 through 12 with just 95 students in the Flint area.
This school is facing severe challenges across nearly every metric. It ranks in the bottom 0th percentile of all Michigan high schools (798 out of 800 for 2025-2026), and its graduation rate is just 61.1% compared to the state average of 84.0%. The dropout rate of 16.6% is more than double the state's 7.1%. Academic proficiency is critically low, with only 10.34% of 9th graders and 14.29% of 10th graders proficient in English Language Arts on the PSAT, versus state averages around 60%. Perhaps most telling is the chronic absenteeism rate of 66.6%—meaning two-thirds of students are regularly missing school—compared to the state rate of 27.9%. The student body is almost entirely economically disadvantaged, with 98.95% qualifying for free or reduced lunch.
The school's trajectory is also concerning, as its state ranking has plummeted from the 15th percentile in 2016-2017 to the bottom percentile today. While the school spends a substantial $14,362 per student, this investment is not translating into better outcomes, suggesting the money is likely going toward essential support services rather than academic gains. The student-teacher ratio is 18.8, and with such a small population, individual interventions could make a significant difference. However, the combination of extreme poverty, chronic disengagement, and declining performance indicates that a successful turnaround would require a comprehensive approach addressing the root causes of absenteeism and socioeconomic hardship, not just classroom instruction. Parents considering this school should be aware of these deep systemic struggles and the immense challenges the school faces in serving its vulnerable student population.
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