LAnse Area School

L'Anse Area School is a K-12 public school in the small community of Lanse, MI, serving 490 students within the L'Anse Area Schools district, where over half of the student body qualifies for free or reduced lunch.

The most striking thing about L'Anse is its remarkable success at keeping students in school and on track to graduate. In the 2024-2025 school year, the school reported a 97.8% graduation rate and a 0.0% dropout rate—both dramatically better than the state averages of 84.0% and 7.1%, respectively. This is especially notable when compared to Baraga School, located just 2.6 miles away with a similar student population, which posted a 59.0% graduation rate and a 13.6% dropout rate. L'Anse also has a lower chronic absenteeism rate (19.8%) than the state average (27.9%) and less than half of Baraga's rate (40.6%). In 11th-grade social studies, L'Anse students outperformed the state by a wide margin, with 56.8% proficiency compared to 39.6% statewide.

However, the picture is more complex when it comes to standardized test scores. While nearly all students graduate, proficiency rates in math and ELA generally lag behind state averages, particularly in middle school. For example, only 8.82% of 7th graders were proficient in ELA and 11.9% of 6th graders in math in the most recent testing year. There is a bright spot in early elementary math, where 3rd graders have consistently scored near or above the state average, but that advantage fades by 5th grade. The school spends a substantial $17,174 per student—less than Baraga's $20,939—yet achieves far superior graduation and attendance outcomes, suggesting its resources are used effectively to support student retention. While test scores fluctuate year to year, the recent, dramatic drop in dropout rates from 9.8% to 0.0% over two years points to successful, recent efforts to support at-risk students.