High Schools in Owosso Public Schools

The two high schools in Owosso Public Schools serve grades 9-12 in a mid-Michigan community, but they offer vastly different educational experiences and outcomes for families to consider.

Owosso High School is the district’s main comprehensive high school, enrolling 805 students and earning a 2-star state rating (ranked 488th out of 800 Michigan high schools). It stands out as the clear academic and outcome leader in the district. Its graduation rate is an impressive 92.5%, far exceeding the district average of 82.4% and the state average of 84.0%. The school also has a very low dropout rate of just 1.0% and a more favorable student-teacher ratio of 17.3:1. However, even at this top-performing school, proficiency rates lag state averages—only 14.1% of 11th graders are proficient in SAT Math (state: 26.5%) and 40.7% in SAT Reading/Writing (state: 52.1%). Chronic absenteeism affects 30.5% of students, which is above the state average of 27.9%.

In stark contrast, Lincoln Alternative High School serves just 131 students and faces severe challenges. Its graduation rate is only 48.2%, and its dropout rate of 17.8% is more than 17 times higher than Owosso High’s. Over half of its students (52.5%) are chronically absent, and the school has a much higher student-teacher ratio of 26:1. Lincoln Alternative also has a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students (74.81% vs. 42.73% at Owosso High) and spends less per student ($13,290 vs. $15,401). The school has no recent state ranking, and its last recorded performance placed it in the bottom 5% of Michigan schools.

The most striking takeaway is the 44.3 percentage point gap in graduation rates between the two schools. While alternative schools often serve students at higher risk, a graduation rate below 50% suggests significant systemic challenges. For parents, Owosso High School clearly offers the stronger path to graduation and college readiness, though both schools struggle to meet state academic benchmarks. The district’s overall 82.4% graduation rate is heavily pulled down by Lincoln Alternative’s performance, making school choice within this district a critical decision for families.