EA Johnson Memorial High School

EA Johnson Memorial High School serves approximately 410 students in grades 9-12 in Mount Morris, Michigan, as part of the Mt. Morris Consolidated Schools district, where about 70% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

The most encouraging news for parents is that EA Johnson graduates its students at a rate of 85.1%—nearly matching the state average of 84.0% and dramatically exceeding its own district's graduation rate of just 67.3%. This gap has persisted for five straight years, suggesting the school has found effective ways to keep students on track to earn a diploma. The school has also made real progress reducing chronic absenteeism, cutting it from a staggering 68.9% in 2021-2022 down to 45.5% in 2024-2025—now actually better than the district average. However, the biggest concern is mathematics achievement. Only about 5% of 9th and 10th graders score proficient on state math assessments, which is roughly six times lower than state averages. For comparison, nearby Clio Area High School, which serves a similar student population, achieves math proficiency rates 2-6 times higher across all subjects. The school shows relative strength in English Language Arts, with about 27-37% of students scoring proficient depending on grade level, and science proficiency has improved to 18.5%.

Parents should understand that EA Johnson is the strongest performer within its own district—far outperforming the Mt Morris Education and Community Center, which graduates only 48.8% of students. Yet compared to regional standouts like Clio, which graduates 93.4% of students with only 2.4% dropping out, EA Johnson has room for improvement. The school spends about $14,874 per student, nearly identical to Clio's spending, yet achieves notably weaker academic results—suggesting the challenges may relate more to instructional approaches than resources. While the school has recovered from its pandemic-era low point (ranking in the 2nd percentile in 2020-2021 to the 17th percentile now), it has not yet returned to its pre-pandemic performance levels. The improving graduation rates and declining absenteeism suggest positive momentum, but the persistently low math scores remain a fundamental barrier to college and career readiness that parents should investigate further.