Summary:
The Plymouth-Canton Community Schools district in Michigan includes four high schools—Canton High School, Salem High School, Plymouth High School, and Starkweather Academy Fiegel—serving grades 6-12 (or 10-12 for Starkweather) in a predominantly middle-to-upper-income suburban area.
For parents comparing the three comprehensive schools, Plymouth High School stands out as the top academic performer, holding the highest state ranking (31st of 800) and leading in most 11th-grade subjects, including SAT Reading/Writing (77.2%) and Science (60.0%). Salem High School excels in student persistence with a 97.5% graduation rate and just 0.7% dropout rate—the best in the district. Canton High School is highly competitive too, with scores within 2-3 points of Plymouth across most subjects. All three dramatically outperform state averages—SAT math proficiency (52.5-56.8%) is roughly double Michigan's 26.5%, and science proficiency exceeds the state by over 20 points. However, chronic absenteeism (21.6-22.9%) is surprisingly high given their achievement levels, approaching the state average of 27.9%.
Starkweather Academy Fiegel is a stark outlier—a 1-star alternative school serving at-risk students (43.81% free/reduced lunch) with a 60.6% graduation rate and 79.7% chronic absenteeism. Despite spending $24,461 per student (70% more than the other schools) and maintaining a 13.1:1 student-teacher ratio, its proficiency rates lag far behind (19.6% science vs. 58-60% at the comprehensive schools). The district's resource allocation is notable: Plymouth High School receives the highest per-student funding ($15,283) and lowest student-teacher ratio (18.7:1) among the comprehensive schools, which may contribute to its top ranking. Year-over-year, science scores improved at all schools while SAT reading and math declined, suggesting shifting curriculum priorities or cohort differences.
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