Innovation Academy

Innovation Academy is a small alternative high school in Howell, MI, serving 186 students in grades 9-12 within the Howell Public Schools district, where about half of its students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

This school stands out for its remarkable success with special education students, ranking in the 79th percentile statewide (4 stars) for this group—a striking contrast to its overall 1-star rating. If your child receives special education services, this is a genuine bright spot worth investigating. The school also posted an excellent 97.7% graduation rate with a 0% dropout rate in 2024-2025, beating both the district (95.2%) and state (84.0%) averages. However, these numbers swing dramatically from year to year—the graduation rate was just 58.3% in 2023-2024—so it's important to understand that with a small student body, a handful of students can shift outcomes significantly. Compared to nearby alternative schools, Innovation Academy outperforms Bridge Alternative High School (35% graduation) and FlexTech High School (67.2% graduation), while roughly matching Legacy High School in Hartland.

The biggest concern for parents is chronic absenteeism—45% of students were chronically absent in 2024-2025, nearly double the rate at Howell High School (23.8%) and far above the state average (27.9%). This likely explains much of the academic achievement gap. Test scores lag significantly behind Howell High School—for example, only 26.9% of 11th graders are proficient in SAT reading/writing versus 62.5% at Howell High. The school also spends less per student ($10,907) than comparable alternative schools like Legacy ($20,231) or Bridge ($15,426). If your child needs a smaller, more flexible environment and struggles in traditional settings, Innovation Academy offers genuine strengths—especially for special education students—but you'll want to ask tough questions about attendance support and academic intervention before enrolling.