Lamphere High School

Lamphere High School, part of the Lamphere Public Schools district in Madison Heights, MI, serves 753 students in grades 9-12 and is showing a remarkable upward trend, jumping from the 39th to the 65th percentile in statewide rankings over the past two years.

For parents, the most encouraging news is that Lamphere is clearly a school on the rise. The graduation rate has climbed to an impressive 95%—well above the state average of 84% and nearly matching top-tier neighbors like Royal Oak High School (95.9%). The dropout rate of 3.3% is less than half the state average. What truly sets Lamphere apart, however, is its success with student groups that are often underserved elsewhere. The school ranks in the 84th percentile for African American students and the 74th percentile for English Language Learners and low-income students—a strength that distinguishes it from many nearby schools. Academically, Lamphere shines in humanities: 11th-grade science proficiency (40.2%) and social studies (53.1%) both outpace state averages, as do 9th and 10th-grade English Language Arts scores. The clear area for growth is math, where SAT proficiency (20.6%) trails the state average (26.5%).

When comparing Lamphere to its immediate neighbors, the picture is nuanced. Against Madison High School (2.2 miles away) and Warren Mott High School (2.2 miles away), Lamphere outperforms in nearly every metric—graduation rate, dropout rate, and subject proficiency. However, it still trails higher-performing schools like Clawson High School and Royal Oak in test scores. Notably, Lamphere's graduation rate actually exceeds Clawson's (95% vs. 93.2%), suggesting the school excels at getting students across the finish line. One persistent challenge is chronic absenteeism at 27.8%, nearly matching the state average. For families seeking a school with strong graduation outcomes, exceptional support for diverse learners, and clear momentum, Lamphere represents a solid and improving choice in the Madison Heights area.