CarmanAinsworth High School

Carman-Ainsworth High School is a large public high school in Flint, MI, serving 914 students in grades 8 through 12 as part of the Carman-Ainsworth Community Schools district.

For parents, the most important takeaway is that Carman-Ainsworth is a solid middle-of-the-pack option compared to nearby traditional public schools, though it faces significant academic challenges. The school's graduation rate of 81.7% is close to the state average and far exceeds the 70.5% rate at Southwestern Classical Academy. In fact, Carman-Ainsworth outperforms Southwestern and Hamady Community High School on SAT reading scores (27.8% proficient vs. 14.1% and 19.3%, respectively). However, the school lags dramatically behind Genesee Early College, a highly selective district-mate where SAT math proficiency is 34% compared to just 7.3% at Carman-Ainsworth. This gap reflects the different student populations these schools serve rather than a simple quality comparison.

The biggest red flags for parents are chronic absenteeism and math proficiency. With 37.1% of students chronically absent—well above the state average of 27.9%—attendance is a serious concern that likely drives lower test scores. Math is a particular weakness, with only about 7-10% of students proficient across grade levels, roughly three times below state averages. On a positive note, the school has improved its absenteeism rate significantly from a peak of 63.3% in 2021-2022. The school also spends a generous $17,572 per student, higher than many nearby schools, which suggests resources are available even if outcomes haven't yet caught up. While the school's state ranking has declined from the 36th percentile in 2017-2018 to the 18th percentile today, it remains a far more stable and successful option than the alternative schools in the area, such as CA Alternative EdAtlantis or Flex High North Flint, where graduation rates range from just 10% to 59%.