Hemlock Virtual

Hemlock Virtual is a small, online alternative school in Hemlock, MI, serving just 54 students in grades 7-12 as part of the Hemlock Public School District. It provides a virtual learning option for families seeking an alternative to the district's traditional high school, and it serves a higher proportion of economically disadvantaged students than nearby schools, with nearly half of its students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

This school stands out for its unique structure and recent improvements. The student-teacher ratio is 37.2:1—nearly double that of Hemlock High School (20.4:1)—which is typical for virtual programs where one instructor oversees a larger online cohort. Per-student spending is also much lower at $6,951, compared to $12,960 at Hemlock High and $15,619 at Bullock Creek High School, reflecting the reduced overhead of a virtual model. The most encouraging news is the school's dramatic turnaround: after ranking in the bottom 5% of Michigan high schools for years, it jumped to the 32nd percentile in the 2025-2026 school year. Its graduation rate has also rebounded strongly, from a low of 50% in 2022-2023 to 81.8% in 2024-2025—a rate that, while below Hemlock High's 92.6%, is far better than other alternative programs like Swan Valley Adult and Alternative Education, which has a 40% graduation rate.

However, academic proficiency remains a challenge. Only 35% of 11th graders were proficient in SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing in 2025-2026, compared to 67.8% at Hemlock High and 75% at Swan Valley High School. The school also has a higher dropout rate (9.0%) and chronic absenteeism (25.6%) than traditional schools, suggesting it serves students who may have struggled elsewhere. For parents considering this option, Hemlock Virtual appears to be a cost-effective, flexible choice that is showing real progress in helping a higher-need population graduate, even if test scores still lag behind the area's top-performing traditional high schools.