High Schools in Kenowa Hills Public Schools

The two high schools within Kenowa Hills Public Schools—Kenowa Hills High School and Kenowa Hills Pathways High School—serve roughly 975 students in grades 9-12 in a suburban district ranked in the middle of Michigan districts, but they offer vastly different experiences and outcomes.

Kenowa Hills High School is the clear academic leader, enrolling 876 students and posting a remarkable one-year turnaround that lifted it from the 40th to the 74th percentile statewide. It now beats state averages in six of eight subject tests, with standout results in 9th-grade math (50% proficient vs. 33.5% statewide) and consistent strength in English Language Arts across all grade levels. Its graduation rate is exceptional at 95.1%, and its dropout rate is just 1.4%. By contrast, Kenowa Hills Pathways High School, a smaller alternative program with 99 students, serves a more economically disadvantaged population (58.6% free/reduced lunch vs. 35.1%) and trails dramatically on every academic measure—for example, a 42.5-point gap in 10th-grade ELA proficiency. Pathways also has a much higher student-to-teacher ratio (24.3:1 vs. 18:1), which may hinder individualized support.

Despite these disparities, both schools exceed state graduation averages, with Pathways at 88.6% versus 84.0% statewide, and both keep dropout rates well below the state's 7.1%. Interestingly, Pathways actually has lower chronic absenteeism (21.0%) than the main high school (26.2%), yet its test scores remain far lower—suggesting the achievement gap stems from factors like prior preparation and socioeconomic challenges rather than attendance. For parents, the choice is stark: Kenowa Hills High School offers strong academics, a proven track record of improvement, and a supportive environment, while Kenowa Hills Pathways High School provides a smaller, alternative setting that successfully helps at-risk students graduate, even if test scores lag. The district's overall commitment to keeping students in school is clear, but families should weigh the academic rigor of the main high school against the personalized, recovery-focused mission of Pathways.