North Central Academy Campus

North Central Academy Campus in Mancelona, MI, is a small alternative public school serving 174 students in grades PK through 12 under the Bay City Academy district, where about 70% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

The most striking news for parents is the school's perfect 2024-2025 record: a 100% graduation rate and 0% dropout rate. This is a dramatic turnaround from just two years earlier, when both figures sat at 50%. It also outpaces nearby Alba School, which posted an 83.3% graduation rate and 8.3% dropout rate. However, this success comes with a major caveat: chronic absenteeism affects 47.6% of students—nearly double the state average of 27.9% and far higher than Alba's 25.7%. The school appears highly effective at guiding seniors to the finish line, but a large share of the broader student body struggles with consistent attendance. This likely explains why academic proficiency on state tests is generally low, with 4th-grade ELA at 21.1% and 5th-grade math at 16.7%, both well below state averages.

There are bright spots worth noting. Eleventh graders scored above state averages on the M-Step in 2024-2025, with 45.45% proficient in science (state: 34.9%) and 54.55% in social studies (state: 42.1%). The school also spends less per student ($10,313) than nearby schools like Central Lake Public Schools ($26,248) or Boyne Falls Public School ($22,288), yet still achieves the highest graduation rate among its neighbors. Given the small student body, year-to-year metrics can swing widely, so parents should view single-year data with some caution. Overall, this is a school that excels at graduating its seniors but faces real challenges in daily attendance and grade-level proficiency for younger students.