ACES Academy

ACES Academy is a small alternative school in Alpena, MI, serving just 57 students in grades 7 through 12 within the Alpena Public Schools district. This school is designed for students who have struggled in traditional settings, and it faces significant challenges: over three-quarters of its students come from economically disadvantaged homes, and its academic and graduation metrics lag far behind nearby schools.

The most striking difference is in graduation and dropout rates. In the 2024-2025 school year, only 44.8% of ACES students graduated, compared to 78.1% at Alpena High School and 94.4% at Posen Consolidated High School. Meanwhile, ACES’s dropout rate hit 27.5%, far above the district’s 13.1% and the state’s 7.1%. Academically, only 19% of 10th graders were proficient in English Language Arts on the PSAT, versus 48.3% for the district and 58% statewide. The school does offer an exceptionally low 8:1 student-teacher ratio, suggesting strong individualized attention, but this advantage hasn’t yet translated into better outcomes. Per-student spending is high at $16,539, showing a real investment in these students.

There are a few important nuances. In 2022-2023, ACES ranked in the 72nd percentile for serving low-income students, indicating it may be relatively effective with its most disadvantaged population, even if overall scores are low. Also, chronic absenteeism at Alpena High School is a staggering 74.2%, suggesting disengagement is a district-wide issue, not unique to ACES. Finally, because the school is so small, its data swings wildly from year to year—graduation rates have ranged from 14.2% to 45.4% in recent years—so single-year figures should be viewed cautiously. For parents, ACES is a high-cost, high-need safety net that is currently struggling to meet its mission, though it may offer a more supportive environment for students who have not thrived elsewhere.