Summary:
The Montrose Community Schools district in Michigan operates two high schools—Hill-McCloy High School and Montrose Alternative Education Center—serving grades 8-12 and 9-12 respectively, in a rural/suburban area where the district overall faces moderate socioeconomic challenges.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that these two schools offer vastly different experiences and outcomes. Hill-McCloy High School is the district’s traditional high school and is clearly the stronger performer. It holds a 3-star state rating, ranks in the 70th percentile statewide, and boasts a 95.1% graduation rate—well above the state average of 84%. Its 11th graders score far above state averages in science (60.5% proficient) and reading/writing (61.8% proficient), though math proficiency (19.7%) lags behind the state (26.5%). In contrast, Montrose Alternative Education Center serves a smaller, higher-need population (199 students) and holds a 0-star rating, ranking in the bottom 2-5% of Michigan high schools. Its graduation rate is just 59%, with an 11.3% dropout rate, and proficiency rates in every subject are drastically below state averages—for example, only 6.7% of its 11th graders are proficient in social studies versus 43.2% statewide.
Resource disparities are striking and worth noting. Hill-McCloy spends $14,981 per student with a 16.9:1 student-teacher ratio, while Montrose Alternative Education Center spends only $7,013 per student with a 42.3:1 ratio—meaning the school serving students who likely need more support actually has far fewer resources. Also, despite Hill-McCloy’s strong academics, its chronic absenteeism rate (27.9%) matches the state average, which is concerning. On a positive note, Hill-McCloy showed dramatic year-over-year improvement in 2025-2026 test scores, suggesting recent interventions are working. However, the alternative center is missing data on chronic absenteeism and math scores, making it harder for parents to fully assess that school’s challenges.
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