Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

New rankings! SchoolDigger recently updated its Michigan rankings with newly released test scores for the 2025-26 school year.

Be the first to know when we post new rankings!

Casman Alternative Academy

Q: Is Casman Alternative Academy a good school?

Casman Alternative Academy ranks 592 nd of 800 Michigan high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Public, Magnet, Charter Grades 7-12

592^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 800 Michigan High Schools

Better than 26% of Michigan high schools

Summary

Casman Alternative Academy is a small, alternative public high school in Manistee, MI, serving just 65 students in grades 7 through 12 as its own single-school district, and it is designed for students who have not found success in a traditional school setting.

Casman serves a student population facing significant challenges—nearly all students (98%) qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the school's outcome metrics reflect these hurdles. The graduation rate for 2024-2025 was 35.7%, far below the state average of 84%, while the dropout rate was 42.8% and chronic absenteeism reached 84.7%. These numbers are dramatically worse than nearby schools. For example, Manistee Middle High School, just over a mile away, boasts a 92.3% graduation rate and a 5.7% dropout rate. Even Gateway to Success Academy, another alternative school about 19 miles away, significantly outperforms Casman with a 67.6% graduation rate and a 23.5% dropout rate. This comparison suggests that the struggles at Casman are not inherent to all alternative schools, and there may be successful strategies at Gateway worth studying.

Despite these dire statistics, there is a story of gradual improvement. Casman's state ranking has climbed from the 4th percentile in 2014-2015 to the 26th percentile in 2025-2026, and its graduation rate has more than doubled from 14.2% in 2021-2022 to 35.7% in 2024-2025. The school also offers a favorable student-teacher ratio of 12.4:1, lower than most nearby traditional high schools. Interestingly, for students who do attend and take the PSAT, proficiency rates (around 40% for 9th and 10th graders) are not as catastrophically low as the graduation data might suggest, implying the primary issue is disengagement rather than academic ability. Casman spends $12,594 per student—less than Manistee Area Public Schools ($15,915) but more than Gateway To Success Academy ($11,457)—indicating the challenge is not purely funding, but the intensive support needed to address severe social, emotional, and economic barriers.

Students ?

12.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,594

Per pupil spending ?

98.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

225 9th St
Manistee, MI 49660-3109

(231) 723-4981

District: Casman Alternative Academy

Racial breakdown:

White:

80.0%

African American:

7.7%

Hispanic:

6.2%

See top rated Michigan high schools

Compare Casman Alternative Academy to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 4th percentile in 2006 → 26th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 22 percentile points since 2006

Worth a look

!Graduation rate below the Michigan average (36% vs 84%)

!Dropout rate above the Michigan average (43% vs 7%)

!High chronic absenteeism (85% vs 28% Michigan)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school39%

District avg39%

Michigan avg43%

592^nd of 800

Michigan public high schools ?

Bottom 26%▲ up 10 pts since 2017

From bottom 16% (2017) to bottom 26% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

489^th of 625Casman Alternative Academy among Michigan districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2013	5.5	902 of 919	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	6.7	816 of 858	4.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	22.8	592 of 800	26.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	7.1	703 of 835	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	7.7	797 of 832	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	13.2	661 of 799	17.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	10.9	688 of 784	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	24.9	588 of 765	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	6.9	690 of 750	8.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	14.5	639 of 767	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	3.2	677 of 705	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	36.4	470 of 719	34.6%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	4.0	653 of 671	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

High school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)35th percentile+9 vs school

White (2026)3rd percentile-23 vs school

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Casman Alternative Academy and help other families decide.

Rate Casman Alternative Academy

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Casman Alternative Academy

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				PSAT English Language Arts (2026)			PSAT Mathematics (2026)			SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (2026)	SAT Mathematics (2026)	M-Step English Language Arts (2026)		M-Step Math (2026)		M-Step Science (2026)		M-Step Social Studies (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSAT English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSAT English Language Arts 9th Grade	PSAT English Language Arts 10th Grade	PSAT Mathematics 8th Grade	PSAT Mathematics 9th Grade	PSAT Mathematics 10th Grade	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 6th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 7th Grade	M-Step Math 6th Grade	M-Step Math 7th Grade	M-Step Science 8th Grade	M-Step Science 11th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 8th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Casman Alternative Academy	Public, Magnet, Charter	7-12	225 9th St	Manistee	49660	Manistee County	Casman Alternative Academy	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	(231) 723-4981	65	5	12.4	98.5%	52 (80.0%)	5 (7.7%)	4 (6.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (6.2%)	22.8	592^nd of 800 public high schools	26.0%					(n/a)		40.0	38.5		349.3	339.2	370.0	342.7						2070.8		2075.3	$12,594	$1,061	$11,533
Manistee Middle High School	Public	6-12	525 12th St	Manistee	49660	Manistee County	Manistee Area Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(231) 723-2547	685	33	20.5	30.5%	585 (85.4%)	13 (1.9%)	31 (4.5%)	8 (1.2%)	21 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (3.9%)	55.3	310^th of 800 public high schools	61.3%		63.7	238^th of 739 public high schools	67.8%	72	58.8	65.4	48.8	22.4	38.5	33.8	54.9	22.0	25.3	31.9	27.5	36.3	38.8	38.3	51.2	36.3	$15,915	$1,012	$14,903
Oaks Correctional Facility	Public	9-12	1500 Caberfae Hwy	Manistee	49660	Manistee County	Michigan Department of Corrections	No	No	No	No	(231) 723-8272	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Brethren High School	Public	9-12	4400 N High Bridge Rd	Brethren	49619	Manistee County	Kaleva Norman Dickson School District	No	No	No	No	(231) 477-5353	140	8	16.9	60.7%	122 (87.1%)	1 (0.7%)	7 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (5.0%)	1 (0.7%)	2 (1.4%)	40.4	448^th of 800 public high schools	44.0%		58	294^th of 739 public high schools	60.2%	154		50.0	39.3		20.6	28.6	42.9	434.8						33.3		47.6	$16,652	$1,516	$15,136
Bear Lake High School	Public	7-12	7748 Cody St	Bear Lake	49614	Manistee County	Bear Lake Schools	No	No	No	No	(231) 864-3133	133	6	21.8	60.9%	107 (80.5%)	1 (0.8%)	19 (14.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.0%)	40.8	444^th of 800 public high schools	44.5%		65.4	222^nd of 739 public high schools	70.0%	222	65.0	55.0	40.6	20.0	45.0	18.8				73.3		66.7	25.0		35.0		$22,327	$1,219	$21,108
Gateway To Success Academy	Public, Charter	6-12	526 N Scottville Rd	Scottville	49454	Mason County	Gateway To Success Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(231) 845-0922	124	10	12.9	77.4%	100 (80.6%)	7 (5.6%)	3 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (9.7%)	43.1	425^th of 800 public high schools	46.9%		33.3	487^th of 739 public high schools	34.1%	62	54.6	62.5	33.3	335.5	373.1	390.7	428.5	338.5					33.3	30.8	25.0	38.5	$11,457	$1,560	$9,897
Mason County Central High School	Public	9-12	300 W Broadway Ave	Scottville	49454	Mason County	Mason County Central Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(231) 757-4748	413	17	23.8	55.7%	362 (87.7%)	3 (0.7%)	27 (6.5%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.1%)	33.8	512^th of 800 public high schools	36.0%		26.4	526^th of 739 public high schools	28.8%	14		49.0	50.0		25.0	14.7	44.1	5.4						33.0		32.3	$14,167	$1,196	$12,971
Academy of Science Math and Technology Early College High School	Public	11-12	2130 W Us Highway 10	Ludington	49431	Mason County	Mason County Central Schools	No	No	No	No	(231) 843-5935	45	1	50.0	40.0%	31 (68.9%)	2 (4.4%)	9 (20.0%)	1 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (4.4%)								(n/a)																	$4,512	$963	$3,549

Frequently Asked Questions about Casman Alternative Academy

Is Casman Alternative Academy a good school?

Casman Alternative Academy ranks 592^nd of 800 Michigan high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend Casman Alternative Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 65 students attended Casman Alternative Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Casman Alternative Academy?

Students at Casman Alternative Academy are 80% White, 8% African American, 6% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races.

What district is Casman Alternative Academy in?

Casman Alternative Academy

Rate Casman Alternative Academy!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

MIMichigan High School Rankings

MIMichigan District Rankings

Schools in Manistee, MI

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Casman Alternative Academy!

Latest Michigan data All new data »

2025–26 M-Step, PSAT & SAT test scoresSep 4, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJun 13, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataJan 6, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Michigan Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.