Grayling High School

Grayling High School, part of the Crawford AuSable Schools district, is a mid-sized public high school in Grayling, MI, serving 462 students in grades 9-12 with a strong record of academic achievement.

Grayling High School stands out for its exceptional performance in mathematics and English. In the most recent school year, 47.2% of 11th graders were proficient in SAT math—nearly double the state average of 26.5%—and 62.3% were proficient in reading and writing, compared to 52.1% statewide. This strength shows up early, with 9th and 10th graders also scoring well above state averages on the PSAT. The school also boasts a remarkable 95.8% graduation rate and a 0.0% dropout rate, far better than state averages. Perhaps most impressive is the school's success with economically disadvantaged students, who rank in the 86th percentile statewide—higher than the school's overall ranking for male or white students. The school has earned 4- and 5-star ratings over the past decade, with its rank fluctuating between the 72nd and 93rd percentiles before landing in the 86th percentile most recently.

The contrast with nearby Roscommon High School, just 15.5 miles away, is striking. Despite similar class sizes and poverty rates, Grayling outperforms Roscommon in nearly every metric—SAT math proficiency is nearly double (47.2% vs. 23.8%), and social studies proficiency is almost 20 points higher. Grayling also achieves these results while spending less per student ($15,305 vs. $17,179). One area of concern is chronic absenteeism, which affects 33.6% of students—higher than the state average of 27.9%—though this hasn't yet impacted test scores or graduation rates. Additionally, math proficiency has dipped slightly from a recent peak of 57% in 2023-2024 to 47.2% currently, a trend worth monitoring.