Summary:
The Boyne City Public Schools district in Michigan serves two very different high schools: Boyne City High School (383 students, grades 8-12) and MorganShaw School (32 students, grades 9-12), an alternative program for at-risk students. The district ranks in the 85th percentile statewide, but that strong overall performance is driven almost entirely by the traditional high school.
Boyne City High School is the clear academic leader, ranking 151st out of 800 Michigan high schools with a 4-star rating. It excels in humanities and sciences—social studies proficiency is 70.7% versus a 43.2% state average, and science is 58.7% versus 35.2%—with a 93.1% graduation rate and just a 2.3% dropout rate. However, math is a persistent weakness: proficiency hovers around 30% across all grades, and SAT math scores actually dropped from 38.5% to 29.3% year-over-year. In contrast, MorganShaw School serves a much more vulnerable population (56% free/reduced lunch) and faces severe challenges: a 59% graduation rate, a 9% dropout rate, and a staggering 68.2% chronic absenteeism rate—4 times the district average. The school has no recent state ranking and no reported test data, making academic achievement impossible to assess.
The contrast between these two schools raises serious resource questions. Boyne City High School spends $17,616 per student, while MorganShaw School spends only $14,895—counterintuitive given that alternative programs typically require more support. Even more concerning, MorganShaw reports a 61.5:1 student-teacher ratio, which seems implausible for a 32-student school and suggests either a data error or extremely limited access to certified teachers. For parents, Boyne City High School offers strong academics and a safe, engaged environment, though math support may be needed. MorganShaw School appears under-resourced relative to its students' needs, and its attendance crisis must be addressed before academic progress can occur.
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