Summary:
Dearborn Heights School District #7 in Michigan serves two high schools—Annapolis High School and Dearborn Heights Virtual Academy—covering grades 9-12 in a suburban area with a high proportion of economically disadvantaged students (roughly two-thirds at each school).
For parents, the most important takeaway is that these two schools offer very different experiences. Annapolis High School is the traditional option, enrolling 682 students, and it posts a solid graduation rate of 86.3%—above the state average—despite a chronic absenteeism rate of 52.8%, which is nearly double the state norm. Its academic performance, however, is a major concern: only 5.6% of 11th graders are proficient in SAT math, and reading/writing proficiency sits at 31.1%, both well below state averages. The school also holds a 1-star state rating and has slipped from the 30th to the 21st percentile over the past year. In contrast, Dearborn Heights Virtual Academy is a tiny virtual program with just 42 students. It has a much lower chronic absenteeism rate (24.0%) but a far weaker graduation rate (64.1%) and a higher dropout rate (7.6%).
Financially, the virtual academy spends $28,098 per student—57% more than Annapolis’s $17,829—yet delivers worse completion outcomes, raising questions about cost-effectiveness. Annapolis also benefits from a very low student-teacher ratio of 7.9, suggesting small class sizes, but its math scores across 9th, 10th, and 11th grades are in the single digits to low teens, signaling a systemic crisis in quantitative skills. For parents, Annapolis offers a more reliable path to graduation with traditional supports, while the virtual academy may suit students who struggle with in-person attendance but need stronger academic scaffolding to actually finish. Both schools face significant economic challenges, but the data suggests Annapolis is the stronger bet for overall student success, despite its attendance and math struggles.
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