Trillium Academy

Trillium Academy is a K-12 alternative public school in Taylor, MI, serving 641 students as its own district, with a student-teacher ratio of 14.1 and a predominantly low-income population (68.8% eligible for free/reduced lunch).

Trillium Academy tells a remarkable story of improvement. Over the past five years, its graduation rate has climbed from 70.4% to 86.9%—now surpassing the state average of 84.0%—while its dropout rate has been cut in half, falling from 13.6% to 6.5%. This puts Trillium well ahead of nearby alternative schools like Downriver Digital Academy (64.7% graduation) and Lakeshore Virtual School (65.2%). Trillium also has a lower chronic absenteeism rate (32.5%) than most of its peers—compare that to Downriver Digital Academy at 71.6% or Beacon Day Treatment Center at 72.6%—suggesting better student engagement and attendance. As the largest alternative school in the region, Trillium serves as a major hub, and it does so efficiently: its per-student spending of $12,664 is a fraction of what specialized centers like Beacon ($106,292) or Burger Development Center ($82,398) spend, yet it achieves stronger outcomes.

Academically, the picture is mixed. While early-grade proficiency lags state averages (e.g., 3rd-grade ELA at 13.5% vs. 38.2% statewide), Trillium shows notable strengths by high school: 11th-grade Social Studies proficiency (42.9%) nearly matches the state (43.2%), and 8th-grade PSAT ELA (61.2%) is close to the state's 64.8%. Scores fluctuate year to year, which is common with a transient student population, but the overall trend—higher graduation, lower dropout, and cost-effective operation—makes Trillium a compelling option for families seeking an alternative to traditional schooling without the high-cost, high-support environment of day treatment or skills centers.