Grand River Preparatory High School

Grand River Preparatory High School is the sole high school in the Grand River Preparatory High School district, serving grades 9-12 with 635 students in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area, where nearly three-quarters of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

This school is a study in contrasts. On the positive side, it posts a standout graduation rate of 94.1%—well above the state average of 84%—and a dropout rate of just 3.6%, which is less than half the state norm. These completion metrics are especially notable given the high poverty level. However, the school’s biggest red flag is chronic absenteeism: 51% of students are chronically absent, nearly double the state average of 27.9%. This likely contributes to a concerning decline in state ranking, from the 63rd percentile in 2024-2025 down to the 50th percentile in 2025-2026, even though the school has held a steady 3-star rating.

Academically, the school shows a clear split. In 11th grade, proficiency is near the state average in science (36.2% vs. 35.2%), social studies (44.1% vs. 43.2%), and SAT reading/writing (52.0% vs. 52.1%). But math is a persistent weakness—only 22.4% of 11th graders are proficient in SAT math (vs. 26.5% statewide), and the gap widens in 9th and 10th grade PSAT math, where the school trails by roughly 6-7 points. The most striking anomaly is a 10th grade ELA "cliff": just 45.5% of 10th graders are proficient in PSAT ELA, a dramatic 12.5-point deficit from the state and a 9.5-point drop from the school’s own 9th grade performance. Given the high poverty rate, near-state-average performance in several subjects is commendable, but the combination of chronic absenteeism, declining math scores, and the 10th grade ELA dip suggests targeted interventions in attendance and math, plus an investigation into the 10th grade transition, are critical to reversing the ranking slide.