Vestaburg Community Alternative Education School

Vestaburg Community Alternative Education School in Vestaburg, MI, serves 282 students in grades 9-12 within the Vestaburg Community Schools district, offering a non-traditional path for high schoolers who have struggled in a conventional setting.

This school is designed for students who need a second chance, and the data shows just how challenging that mission can be. The graduation rate sits at 37.6%, far below the state average of 84% and a stark contrast to the 90% rate at the district's traditional Vestaburg Community High School. Over half of the students (52.3%) are chronically absent, meaning they miss significant school time—a rate more than double that of the traditional high school. Academically, only 19.6% of 11th graders are proficient in reading and writing on the SAT, compared to a 52.1% state average. The student-to-teacher ratio is also notably high at 41.4, more than double the ratio at the nearby traditional high school, which may limit the individualized attention these students often need.

There are some encouraging signs, however. The dropout rate has improved dramatically, falling from 31.5% in 2022-2023 to 14.8% recently, and chronic absenteeism has dropped from a staggering 85.1% to its current level. This suggests recent efforts to engage students are starting to work. Compared to other alternative options, this school performs better than Success Virtual Learning Centers of Michigan on graduation, though it lags behind Gratiot Continuous Learning Center in terms of class sizes. With over 77% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, the school clearly serves a population facing significant economic hurdles, and the path to success is steep—but the recent improvements offer a glimmer of hope for families considering this option.