Summary:
The Manistique Area Schools district in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula operates two high schools serving grades 6-12 and 9-12 respectively: the comprehensive Manistique Middle and High School (412 students) and the much smaller Jack Reque Alternative High School (22 students). These schools serve very different student populations, making them difficult to compare directly.
Manistique Middle and High School is the district’s flagship and shows clear strengths. It graduates 95% of its students—well above the state average of 84%—and has a dropout rate of just 3.3%, less than half the state rate. Chronic absenteeism (16.3%) is also far better than the state’s 27.9%. The school has improved its state ranking over three years, now sitting in the 53rd percentile. However, math is a major weakness: only 14.8% of 11th graders are proficient in SAT math versus 26.5% statewide, and 8th and 9th grade PSAT math proficiency hovers near 14%, roughly 19 points below state averages. In contrast, reading skills are strong, with 10th graders scoring 67.5% proficient in PSAT ELA (state: 58%). There is also a puzzling drop between 6th and 7th grade—6th grade ELA proficiency is 48.6% (above state) but falls to 20.4% in 7th grade (18 points below state), suggesting a difficult transition year.
Jack Reque Alternative High School faces severe challenges despite receiving more resources: it spends $15,538 per student (vs. $13,560 at the main school) and has a lower student-teacher ratio of 11:1. Yet its graduation rate is just 55.5%, and its dropout rate is 33.3%—ten times higher than the main school’s. Historically, it has ranked near the bottom of Michigan schools. The district overall earns a 2-star rating, reflecting this stark divide: one school performing well in graduation and attendance but struggling in math, and another alternative program that, despite intensive support, is not achieving successful outcomes for its high-need students.
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