Summary:
The West Ottawa Public School District in Holland, Michigan, operates two high schools serving grades 9-12 (with one also covering grades 6-12), offering a stark contrast between a large comprehensive campus and a small alternative program for a total of roughly 2,268 students.
West Ottawa High School Campus is the district's academic leader, enrolling 2,187 students and earning a 4-star rating. It consistently outperforms state averages in core subjects, with 55.1% proficiency in SAT Reading/Writing and 48.5% in science, though math remains a challenge at just 29.4% proficiency. The school boasts a strong 94.1% graduation rate and spends about $15,908 per student with a 19.6:1 student-teacher ratio. In contrast, Dunes Alternative High School serves just 81 students in grades 6-12 with a 2-star rating from 2014-2015. It faces significant hurdles: a 68.7% graduation rate, 18.7% dropout rate, and 44.8% chronic absenteeism. Despite spending slightly more per pupil ($16,808), Dunes operates with a remarkably high 36:1 student-teacher ratio, suggesting resource constraints for its high-needs population.
Both schools exceed the state's chronic absenteeism average of 27.9%, with West Ottawa at 31.1% and Dunes at 44.8%, even though the district's overall graduation rate (90.7%) tops the state's 84%. West Ottawa shows year-over-year improvement in science (from 46.4% to 48.5% proficiency) but slight declines in SAT subjects. With 54% of West Ottawa students and 61.7% of Dunes students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, the district serves a majority economically disadvantaged population, yet West Ottawa still exceeds state averages in most measures. The absence of recent test data for Dunes reflects its alternative assessment approach, while its high absenteeism and staffing ratio point to areas where additional district support could help this vital program better serve students who need alternative pathways to graduation.
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