Summary:
The Chippewa Hills School District in Michigan contains two high schools serving grades 7 through 12: the much larger Chippewa Hills High School (463 students) and the smaller alternative Mosaic School (89 students). These two schools present a stark contrast in nearly every measure, making it essential for parents to understand which environment best fits their child’s needs.
Chippewa Hills High School is the district’s academic leader, ranking in the 71st percentile statewide with a 4-star rating. Its graduation rate of 86.6% exceeds both the district (78.5%) and state (84.0%) averages, while its dropout rate of 5.1% is well below state norms. The school shines in English Language Arts, with 9th and 10th graders scoring above state averages on the PSAT (65.3% and 64.4% proficient, respectively). However, math is a serious weakness—only 9% of 11th graders passed the SAT Math section, compared to a 26.5% state average. Chronic absenteeism (23.5%) is slightly better than the state average, and the student-teacher ratio is a healthy 19.1.
By contrast, Mosaic School faces significant challenges. Its graduation rate is just 51.7%, dropout rate is 20.6% (nearly four times the state average), and chronic absenteeism is 57.1%—more than double the state rate. With 84.27% of students on free/reduced lunch, the school serves a high-need population, yet its student-teacher ratio of 29.6 is far worse than Chippewa Hills’ 19.1, despite similar per-student spending ($13,828 vs. $14,888). Only two test scores are available, both far below district and state averages. The district’s overall math deficiency is a critical concern, but Chippewa Hills High School shows a positive trajectory in literacy, while Mosaic School requires substantial intervention to improve outcomes for its students.
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