Summary:
Dryden High School is the sole high school within Dryden Community Schools, serving grades 7-12 in the rural community of Dryden, Michigan, with a total enrollment of 214 students.
This small school stands out for its exceptional student persistence: the graduation rate is 97.3% versus the state average of 84.0%, and the dropout rate is an impressive 0.0% compared to the state's 7.1%. However, academic proficiency tells a more mixed story. The school's state ranking has been volatile, swinging from 448th (2023-2024) to 275th (2024-2025) and back down to 519th (2025-2026). In the most recent year, 8th graders excelled in science (54.5% proficient vs. 39.2% statewide) and ELA (73.5% vs. 64.8%), while 9th graders also beat the state in ELA. Yet significant weaknesses appear in upper grades: 11th grade SAT math proficiency sits at just 15.6% (state: 26.5%), and SAT EBRW dropped dramatically from 63.2% to 34.4% in one year. Math is a systemic concern across all grades, with 7th grade proficiency at only 13.5%—nearly 20 points below the state average.
Given the tiny cohort sizes (roughly 35 students per grade), year-to-year swings can be misleading—a single strong or weak class can shift metrics by 15-20 points. The school benefits from a favorable 15.1:1 student-teacher ratio and spends $15,236 per student. Chronic absenteeism (19.2%) is better than the state's 27.9%, but still affects nearly 1 in 5 students. With 41.6% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, the school serves a moderate-poverty population while maintaining near-perfect graduation outcomes. Parents should view test scores with caution due to small numbers, but the consistent pattern of strong graduation rates paired with below-average math and upper-level test performance suggests a school that excels at keeping students on track to graduate, even if rigorous academic benchmarks are not always met.
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