Summary:
WAY Michigan is the only high school in this dataset, serving grades 6 through 12 in Detroit, MI, with a total enrollment of just 156 students and a predominantly low-income population (82.69% eligible for free or reduced lunch).
This small school has experienced extreme volatility in recent years. In 2022-2023, WAY Michigan earned a 5-star rating, ranking in the 94th percentile statewide. By 2023-2024, it improved slightly to the 95th percentile. However, in the most recent data (2025-2026), the school plummeted to a 1-star rating, ranking 618th out of 800 schools—a drop of nearly 600 positions in just two years. This dramatic swing is likely tied to the school’s small size (about 22 students per grade), where even a handful of student changes can drastically alter outcomes.
Current academic metrics are deeply concerning. The graduation rate is just 26.8% compared to the state average of 84.0%, while the dropout rate is 41.4% versus the state’s 7.1%. Chronic absenteeism affects 75% of students—nearly triple the state average—and is likely a root cause of poor performance. Test scores are below state averages across all subjects, with the most alarming gap in 9th-grade ELA, where only 17.86% of students are proficient versus 60.2% statewide. Interestingly, 10th-grade ELA proficiency jumps to 38.5%, suggesting either significant academic growth or major cohort differences. The school spends $12,072 per student, which is reasonable, yet outcomes remain far below expectations. Given that WAY Michigan operates as its own district, school and district data are identical. The combination of a 26.8% graduation rate, 41.4% dropout rate, and 75% chronic absenteeism paints a picture of a school in crisis—one that has demonstrated it can achieve 5-star ratings in the past but currently faces systemic challenges requiring urgent intervention, particularly around attendance and student support.
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