Escanaba Student Success Center

Escanaba Student Success Center is a small alternative high school in Escanaba, MI, serving 104 students in grades 8 through 12 within the Escanaba Area Public Schools district, where a large majority of students (76%) come from low-income households.

This school is designed for students who have struggled in a traditional school setting, and the data reflects that reality. Academic proficiency rates are significantly lower than at nearby Escanaba JuniorSenior High School—for example, only 25% of 11th graders were proficient in Science and Social Studies, compared to over 62% at the traditional high school. The 4-year graduation rate of 70.7% is improving but still trails the district average of 88.9%. Perhaps the biggest challenge is chronic absenteeism: over half of the students (50.7%) miss substantial amounts of school, which is more than double the district rate of 19.3%. The student-teacher ratio of 74:1 is also remarkably high for a school serving at-risk youth, suggesting limited opportunities for individualized attention.

Despite these challenges, there are encouraging signs. The school's state ranking has climbed dramatically from the 1st percentile in 2017-2018 to the 24th percentile in 2025-2026, and graduation rates have risen from 59% to 70.7% over four years. When compared to Bay Pines Center, another local alternative school with a 21.4% graduation rate, the Success Center is performing relatively well. However, per-student spending ($7,749) is notably lower than at the district's main high school ($12,752), raising questions about whether the school has adequate resources for the intensive support its students need. For parents considering this option, it's important to understand that the Success Center serves a population facing steep obstacles, and while progress is being made, the school still has significant work ahead to help all students succeed.