Malcolm Alternative JrSr High School

Malcolm Alternative JrSr High School in Sault Sainte Marie, MI, is a small alternative school serving 71 students in grades 7-12 within the Sault Ste. Marie Area Schools district, designed specifically for students who have not found success in a traditional school setting.

This school serves a highly at-risk population, with 70.4% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch—double the rate at the nearby Sault Area High School. The most significant challenge is chronic absenteeism: 87.6% of students miss 10% or more of the school year, compared to 37.1% at the traditional high school and 27.9% statewide. Academic proficiency is also much lower, with only 33.3% of 11th graders proficient in SAT reading and writing versus 73.1% at Sault Area High School. The four-year graduation rate is 63.8%, up from 53.1% the previous year, though still well below the 91.1% rate at the traditional high school.

Despite these difficult statistics, there are encouraging signs. The school invests heavily in its students, spending $19,727 per pupil—46% more than Sault Area High School—which supports a 12:1 student-teacher ratio and additional services. The dropout rate dropped dramatically from 31.2% to 8.3% in one year, suggesting recent interventions are working. When compared to Consolidated Community School Services, a similar alternative school in the Engadine Consolidated Schools district, Malcolm performs notably better: its graduation rate of 63.8% far exceeds CCSS's 13.5%, and its dropout rate is much lower. For parents considering this school, it's important to understand that Malcolm's mission is re-engaging students at the highest risk of dropping out—success here is measured by providing a path to a diploma, not just test scores.