Constantine Public School District

The Constantine Public School District serves roughly 1,247 students across five schools (PK-12) in a rural Michigan area, holding a 2-star rating and ranking in the lower-middle range of state districts. The district is a tale of two very different high school experiences: Constantine High School is the clear academic leader with a stellar 95.4% graduation rate and a 3.4% dropout rate—far better than state averages—while Constantine Alternative Education struggles dramatically with a 45.4% graduation rate, a 22.7% dropout rate, and a staggering 92.7% chronic absenteeism rate. The alternative school also operates on a very different model, with a 102.9:1 student-teacher ratio and roughly half the per-student spending ($8,286) of traditional schools, which likely explains its poor outcomes.

Across the traditional schools, academic performance is mixed but generally below state averages, with math being the district's most critical weakness—proficiency rates hover around 12-19% in middle and high school versus 27-33% statewide. Constantine Middle School offers one bright spot: its 8th grade social studies proficiency (54.3%) actually beats the state average (50.3%), the only subject where the district outperforms Michigan. Meanwhile, Riverside Elementary School shows a concerning pattern of declining scores as students advance, with 3rd grade ELA proficiency at just 22.6% compared to the state's 38.2%. Interestingly, Eastside Elementary School spends the most per student ($17,091) yet has the highest chronic absenteeism (47.9%) among traditional schools, suggesting that attendance—not funding—may be the bigger driver of early learning struggles.

Economically, the district faces significant challenges, with 44-63% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch across schools. Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide concern, particularly at Eastside Elementary where nearly half of PK-2 students are chronically absent, potentially setting the stage for later academic gaps. The high school's year-over-year SAT score declines (reading/writing dropped from 50% to 40.8%) are worrying, though its graduation rate remains exceptional. For parents, the key takeaway is that Constantine High School offers a strong, supportive path to graduation, but families should be aware of the district's math struggles and the stark contrast with the alternative education program, which appears to serve a very different, higher-need population.