Huron School District

The Huron School District in New Boston, Michigan, serves approximately 2,489 students across five schools—three elementary schools (including an early childhood center), one junior high, and one high school—and holds a strong 4-star state rating, placing it in the upper quartile of Michigan districts.

For parents, the standout story is the dramatic rise of Brown Elementary School, which jumped 251 spots in state rankings to earn its first 4-star rating and now outperforms its sister school, William D Miller Elementary School, in nearly every 5th-grade subject—for example, 57% vs. 35.1% in English and 54.4% vs. 35.4% in math. Meanwhile, Carl T Renton Junior High School shines as the academic powerhouse, with 8th-grade PSAT English proficiency at 74.6% (nearly 10 points above the state) and strong social studies scores. At the top, Huron High School leads in college readiness, posting a 65% SAT reading/writing proficiency rate (13 points above the state), a 93.8% graduation rate, and a dropout rate of just 4.1%.

Key takeaways for families: Elementary math is a clear district strength, with 4th-grade proficiency at Miller exceeding the state by an extraordinary 21.5 points. However, the high school shows a rare weakness in social studies (40.4% vs. 43.2% statewide), and Alice I Ferguson Early Childhood Center posts a concerning 36.9% chronic absenteeism rate—well above the district’s 22.2%—alongside the highest economic need (41.67% free/reduced lunch). Renton Junior High also saw year-to-year test volatility, suggesting cohort effects rather than systemic decline. Notably, the district spends more per elementary student ($16,620–$17,856) than at the high school ($14,168), yet high school performance against state benchmarks is stronger, indicating efficient resource use at upper levels.