Grand River Preparatory High School

Grand River Preparatory High School is a public charter high school in Grand Rapids, MI, serving 635 students in grades 9-12, where nearly three-quarters of the student body comes from economically disadvantaged households. This school has shown remarkable improvement over the past several years, climbing from the bottom 20% of Michigan high schools in 2020-2021 to the 50th percentile by 2025-2026—a clear sign that recent efforts are paying off.

When you look at test scores, it's important to compare Grand River Prep to schools with similar student populations rather than to affluent nearby schools. While Byron Center High School posts much higher raw scores, it serves a largely affluent community. A fairer comparison is to schools like Wyoming High School, Kelloggsville High School, and Godwin Heights Senior High School, which serve similar poverty levels. In that context, Grand River Prep is a clear academic leader—its SAT reading proficiency rate of 52% far exceeds the 30-34% range at those neighboring schools, and it posts similarly strong results in science and social studies. The school is especially effective for its African American and White students, ranking in the 82nd and 83rd percentiles statewide for those groups respectively.

There are some challenges worth noting. Chronic absenteeism is high at 51%, nearly double the state average, though the school still manages to achieve strong results when students are in class. Math is a relative weakness, with only 22.4% proficient on the SAT compared to 52% in reading. The graduation rate has also been volatile, dropping to 72.4% in 2023-2024 before rebounding to 94.1% the following year. On the positive side, the school achieves these outcomes while spending less per student ($13,304) than most nearby districts, including Kentwood Public Schools ($19,040) and Byron Center Public Schools ($14,938), making it a cost-effective option that delivers strong value for families.