State Street Academy

State Street Academy is a small, independent public school academy in Bay City, MI, serving 286 students across grades PK through 12, with a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

This school faces significant challenges, most notably a chronic absenteeism rate of 50.9%—nearly double the state average. This means more than half of the students are missing substantial amounts of school, which directly impacts learning. Academic proficiency rates on state tests are well below state averages in most subjects and grade levels. For example, only 10% of 3rd graders were proficient in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 38.9%. However, there are a few bright spots. The school shows a notable strength in 8th-grade science, where 45.8% of students were proficient—actually exceeding the state average of 41.1%. Additionally, 11th-grade science scores (30%) are close to the state average (34.9%), suggesting science instruction may be a relative strength. The school maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 12.8:1, allowing for more individualized attention.

When compared to nearby alternative schools, the picture is mixed. Bay City Academy Farragut Campus, located just 1.87 miles away, serves a similar student population but outperforms State Street Academy in most academic areas and has a lower chronic absenteeism rate (45.2%). On the other hand, State Street Academy fares better than The Success Academy in Saginaw, which has an 84.7% chronic absenteeism rate. The school spends $12,268 per student, which is higher than some comparable schools, yet outcomes remain low. Test scores also fluctuate significantly from year to year, likely due to small class sizes. While the school faces profound obstacles, the slight improvement in absenteeism and the strong science scores offer a glimmer of hope for future progress.