Comstock Park Public Schools

Comstock Park Public Schools is a mid-sized Michigan district serving roughly 1,751 students across five schools, including two elementary schools (Stoney Creek Elementary for grades K-2 and Pine Island Elementary for grades 3-5), Mill Creek Middle School (grades 6-8), and two high schools (Comstock Park High School and Comstock Park Flex Academy, both grades 9-12).

Comstock Park High School is the district's standout performer, earning a 4-star rating with a 97.6% graduation rate—far above the state's 84.0%—and a dropout rate of just 2.3%. It also leads in social studies proficiency (56.5% vs. 43.2% statewide). By contrast, Comstock Park Flex Academy, an alternative program with only 33 students, serves the highest-need population (75.76% free/reduced lunch) but receives the lowest per-student funding ($15,964) and has the highest student-teacher ratio (25.5:1). Its dropout rate of 10.7% is more than four times that of the traditional high school. Stoney Creek Elementary presents a spending paradox: it spends $28,242 per student—71% more than Pine Island Elementary ($18,105)—yet its chronic absenteeism rate (24.4%) is the second-highest in the district, raising questions about return on investment for its K-2 students.

A critical concern is the transition from elementary to middle school. Pine Island's 5th graders achieve 38.8% proficiency in ELA, but that drops to 22.6% when they reach Mill Creek Middle School in 6th grade—a 16-point decline. Mill Creek also struggles with chronic absenteeism (24.8%), the highest in the district. Meanwhile, the district overall outperforms state averages in ELA and social studies but lags slightly in math and SAT reading/writing. The Flex Academy's chronic absenteeism data is missing for 2024-2025, making it difficult to track progress for its at-risk students. For parents, the traditional high school offers strong outcomes, but the middle school transition and resource disparities at the Flex Academy warrant attention.