Benzie County Central Schools

The Benzie County Central Schools district in Michigan serves approximately 1,800 students across six schools—three elementary schools, one middle school, and two high schools—in a rural, lakeside region where economic disadvantage is widespread and academic outcomes are mixed.

For parents, the standout choice is Lake Ann Elementary School, the district’s only 3-star school. It outperforms every other elementary school in the district and often beats state averages—for example, 65.4% of its 5th graders were proficient in ELA versus the state’s 44.4%. It also has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (17.9%) in the district, far better than Betsie Valley School (39.2%) or Homestead Hills Elementary School. At the secondary level, Benzie Central Senior High School is showing strong momentum, jumping from the 59th to 70th percentile in one year, with science proficiency (53.6%) well above the state average. In contrast, Benzie Academy is a serious concern—it has a 50% graduation rate, a 26.3% dropout rate, and an extreme student-teacher ratio of 80.9:1, suggesting it functions as an alternative program that is not producing positive results.

District-wide, the biggest red flags are chronic absenteeism (34.8% vs. 27.9% statewide) and math proficiency, which lags from 3rd grade through 11th grade—only 18.4% of 11th graders at Benzie Central Senior High were proficient in math. Benzie Central Middle School has the highest absenteeism rate (42.8%) and is a key transition point where students appear to fall behind. Spending is not tied to results: Betsie Valley spends the most per student ($18,578) yet ranks in the bottom 25%, while Lake Ann spends less and achieves more. The district’s on-time graduation rate of 70.3% is dragged down almost entirely by Benzie Academy; the main high school’s rate (84.9%) actually exceeds the state average. For parents, the takeaway is clear: Lake Ann Elementary and Benzie Central Senior High are the district’s bright spots, while the middle school and Benzie Academy need urgent attention, particularly around attendance and math instruction.