Hillman Community JrSr High School

Hillman Community JrSr High School is a small, rural public school in Hillman, MI, serving 229 students in grades 6 through 12 within the Hillman Community Schools district, where nearly 40% of students come from low-income households.

Hillman shows a striking contrast between subjects. While 11th-grade reading scores actually beat the state average, math proficiency lags far behind—only 13% of 10th graders were proficient on the PSAT math section, compared to 55% at nearby Posen Consolidated High School. This math weakness appears across all grade levels and tests, suggesting a systemic challenge rather than a one-year problem. The school also struggles with attendance: 31.2% of students are chronically absent, nearly double the rate at Posen (18.7%). On the positive side, Hillman has achieved a remarkable turnaround in graduation rates, jumping from 68.7% in 2022-2023 to 92.8% in 2024-2025—now well above the state average. The dropout rate has also fallen dramatically from a high of 25% just a few years ago.

Hillman demonstrates notable strengths with specific student groups. Low-income students at the school ranked in the 93rd percentile statewide in 2023-2024, showing that support programs for economically disadvantaged learners are working well. However, a significant gender gap has emerged recently, with female students ranking in the 64th percentile while male students rank in the 27th percentile. The school spends slightly less per student ($16,400) than Posen ($16,860) but maintains a higher student-teacher ratio of 16.1 compared to Posen's 11.7, meaning larger class sizes and potentially less individualized attention. Overall, Hillman offers a supportive environment with improving graduation outcomes, but parents should be aware of the persistent math challenges and high absenteeism rates when considering this school.