Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Waterford Kettering High School

Q: Is Waterford Kettering High School a good school?

Waterford Kettering High School ranks 424 th of 800 Michigan high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 7-12

424^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 800 Michigan High Schools

Better than 47% of Michigan high schools

Summary

Waterford Kettering High School serves 909 students in grades 7 through 12 in Waterford, MI, and stands out as the top-performing traditional high school within the Waterford School District.

The most striking feature of Kettering is its exceptional graduation rate of 95.3% for the 2024-2025 school year—far exceeding the district average of 83.8% and the state average of 84.0%. This is paired with a remarkably low dropout rate of just 1.8%, compared to 7.1% for both the district and state. In fact, Kettering's graduation rate nearly matches that of the neighboring, higher-scoring Clarkston High School (96.9%), despite serving a student population with significantly higher economic need (43.67% free/reduced lunch vs. 13.85% at Clarkston). Within its own district, Kettering is the clear leader: on the 2025-2026 SAT, 50% of 11th graders were proficient in reading and writing and 24.2% in math, dramatically outperforming Waterford Mott High School, where only 36.7% were proficient in reading and just 7.7% in math. Kettering also leads Mott on M-Step science (35.5% vs. 22.4%) and social studies (41.1% vs. 30.9%).

However, there are important caveats. While Kettering graduates nearly all its students, its proficiency rates on state tests are generally at or slightly below state averages—a "graduation vs. proficiency" paradox that suggests a strong focus on student support and credit recovery rather than test preparation. Chronic absenteeism remains a challenge at 28.2%, higher than both the district (25.6%) and state (27.9%), though it has improved significantly from a peak of 45.7% in 2021-2022. Additionally, recent subgroup data shows concerning declines for male students, Hispanic students, and special education students, with each group's percentile ranking dropping sharply over the past two years. On a positive note, Kettering is cost-efficient, spending $16,370 per student—less than Mott's $19,074 and far less than alternative schools like Waterford Durant High School ($29,153) and Renaissance Alternative High School ($32,351)—while achieving far better outcomes than those schools.

909

Students ?

22.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,370

Per pupil spending ?

43.7%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in Michigan receive free school meals.

2800 Kettering Dr
Waterford, MI 48329-3412

(248) 673-1261

District: Waterford School District

Feeder schools for Waterford Kettering High School:

Elementary:	Cooley Elementary School
	Houghton Elementary School
	Riverside Elementary School
	Schoolcraft Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

71.8%

Hispanic:

13.6%

African American:

6.7%

See top rated Michigan high schools

Compare Waterford Kettering High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 64th percentile in 2016 → 47th in 2026

Strengths

✓95% graduate in 4 years — above the Michigan average (84%)

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Michigan average (37% vs 43% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 17 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school37%

District avg29%

Michigan avg43%

424^th of 800

Michigan public high schools ?

Bottom 47%▼ down 17 pts since 2016

From top 36% (2016) to bottom 47% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 2High Schools in the Waterford School District

335^th of 625Waterford School District among Michigan districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	43.5	424 of 800	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	45.6	404 of 739	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	45.3	374 of 743	49.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	45.4	386 of 735	47.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	39.5	362 of 531	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	31.2	401 of 561	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	38.3	416 of 666	37.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	52.8	385 of 824	53.3%	★★★☆☆
2017	62.9	278 of 835	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2016	61.4	309 of 852	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2015	58.9	354 of 832	57.5%	★★★☆☆
2014	56.1	376 of 799	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2013	59.3	334 of 805	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2012	66.9	259 of 773	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2011	74.1	224 of 784	71.4%	★★★★☆
2010	67.1	328 of 765	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2009	78.9	150 of 754	80.1%	★★★★☆
2008	77.7	173 of 750	76.9%	★★★★☆
2007	63.5	330 of 767	57.0%	★★★☆☆
2006	49.6	437 of 705	38.0%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	39.1	136 of 252	46.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	72.1	35 of 147	76.2%	★★★★☆
2018	70.7	52 of 254	79.5%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2018	60.3	17 of 102	83.3%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	44.6	377 of 686	45.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	43.2	352 of 629	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	31.3	418 of 619	32.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	39.9	366 of 611	40.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	27.0	356 of 416	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	24.5	385 of 462	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	21.6	451 of 554	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	40.9	423 of 710	40.4%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	28.5	197 of 259	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	54.3	82 of 203	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	50.7	88 of 195	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	34.5	122 of 190	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	11.3	89 of 97	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	19.9	160 of 201	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	40.8	440 of 719	38.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	44.6	343 of 635	46.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	48.8	303 of 654	53.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	31.6	439 of 614	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	46.0	224 of 369	39.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	41.8	251 of 417	39.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	39.9	337 of 532	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	53.3	320 of 755	57.6%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	33.8	463 of 693	33.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	37.3	396 of 628	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	49.9	286 of 633	54.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	40.4	368 of 611	39.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	41.8	277 of 440	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	27.7	349 of 472	26.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	45.7	296 of 543	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	53.6	325 of 707	54.0%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	45.5	96 of 179	46.4%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	28.0	156 of 220	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	50.4	53 of 125	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	56.3	48 of 130	63.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	68.9	30 of 116	74.1%	★★★★☆
2018	25.1	237 of 315	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2026	39.0	399 of 671	40.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	38.3	394 of 639	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	38.0	399 of 638	37.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	36.2	411 of 647	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	38.7	317 of 492	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	21.9	431 of 516	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	35.8	384 of 582	34.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	47.3	366 of 708	48.3%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

English Language Learner (2018)83rd percentile+30 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)46th percentile~ school

African American (2026)46th percentile~ school

Female (2026)45th percentile~ school

White (2026)41st percentile-6 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)39th percentile-8 vs school

Male (2026)33rd percentile-14 vs school

Special Education (2026)29th percentile-18 vs school

Hispanic (2026)24th percentile-23 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts53%-6 vs state

Evidence-Based Reading and Writing50%~ state avg

Social Studies41%~ state avg

Science36%~ state avg

Mathematics20%-13 vs state

5.0

1 rating

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

Rate Waterford Kettering High School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Waterford Kettering High School

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				PSAT English Language Arts (2026)			PSAT Mathematics (2026)			SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (2026)	SAT Mathematics (2026)	M-Step English Language Arts (2026)		M-Step Math (2026)		M-Step Science (2026)		M-Step Social Studies (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSAT English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSAT English Language Arts 9th Grade	PSAT English Language Arts 10th Grade	PSAT Mathematics 8th Grade	PSAT Mathematics 9th Grade	PSAT Mathematics 10th Grade	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 6th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 7th Grade	M-Step Math 6th Grade	M-Step Math 7th Grade	M-Step Science 8th Grade	M-Step Science 11th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 8th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Waterford Kettering High School	Public	7-12	2800 Kettering Dr	Waterford	48329	Oakland County	Waterford School District	No	No	No	No	(248) 673-1261	909	41	22.4	43.7%	653 (71.8%)	61 (6.7%)	124 (13.6%)	20 (2.2%)	6 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	44 (4.8%)	43.5	424^th of 800 public high schools	47.0%		45.6	404^th of 739 public high schools	45.3%	20		53.8	51.5		19.6	20.1	50.0	24.2						35.5		41.1	$16,370	$1,643	$14,727
Waterford Mott High School	Public	9-12	1151 Scott Lake Rd	Waterford	48328	Oakland County	Waterford School District	No	No	No	No	(248) 674-4134	963	56	17.1	53.6%	483 (50.2%)	138 (14.3%)	248 (25.8%)	34 (3.5%)	5 (0.5%)	2 (0.2%)	53 (5.5%)	19.2	616^th of 800 public high schools	23.0%		21.6	569^th of 739 public high schools	23.0%	47		33.6	33.7		12.3	12.8	36.7	7.7						22.4		30.9	$19,074	$2,178	$16,896
Waterford Durant High School	Public	9-12	501 N Cass Lake Rd	Waterford	48328	Oakland County	Waterford School District	No	No	No	No	(248) 674-6347	120	12	9.7	78.3%	68 (56.7%)	20 (16.7%)	26 (21.7%)	1 (0.8%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.3%)								(n/a)			358.5			306.9	372.2	338.9						8.6		2076.4	$29,153	$2,613	$26,539
Clarkston Junior High School	Public	7-12	6595 Waldon Rd	Clarkston	48346	Oakland County	Clarkston Community School District	No	No	No	No	(248) 623-5600	1,007	54	18.7	16.8%	833 (82.7%)	20 (2.0%)	88 (8.7%)	17 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	47 (4.7%)	75.7	141^st of 800 public high schools	82.4%					(n/a)	76.4	70.3		48.4	42.9								48.0		69.0		$14,672	$769	$13,903
Renaissance Alternative High School	Public	9-12	6558 Waldon Rd	Clarkston	48346	Oakland County	Clarkston Community School District	No	No	No	Yes	(248) 623-8060	116	18	6.3	47.4%	90 (77.6%)	8 (6.9%)	13 (11.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.4%)	13.2	674^th of 800 public high schools	15.8%					(n/a)		45.5	25.0		363.6	354.1	25.0	375.0						15.0		20.0	$32,351	$836	$31,516
Clarkston High School	Public	7-12	6093 Flemings Lake Rd	Clarkston	48346	Oakland County	Clarkston Community School District	No	No	No	No	(248) 623-3600	1,552	77	20.2	13.9%	1,325 (85.4%)	31 (2.0%)	106 (6.8%)	42 (2.7%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.2%)	44 (2.8%)	83.4	94^th of 800 public high schools	88.3%		87.5	63^rd of 739 public high schools	91.5%	31			71.5			48.1	69.0	42.7						44.5		57.9	$16,023	$802	$15,220
Oakland Schools Technical CampusNW	Public	9-12	8211 Big Lake Rd	Clarkston	48346	Oakland County	Oakland Schools	No	No	No	No	(248) 922-5800	0	14	.0	—	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Pontiac Academy for Excellence MiddleHigh	Public, Magnet, Charter	6-12	196 Cesar E Chavez Ave	Pontiac	48342	Oakland County	Pontiac Academy for Excellence	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	(248) 745-9420	553	31	17.9	—	13 (2.4%)	363 (65.6%)	144 (26.0%)	5 (0.9%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (4.7%)	7.3	737^th of 800 public high schools	7.9%		14.6	628^th of 739 public high schools	15.0%	109	20.8	20.5	23.1	330.4	341.5	7.7	399.6	366.2	1567.3	13.3	1563.2	6.7	8.3	11.5	8.3	15.4	$00	$00	$00
Bethune Adult Education	Public	12	1051 Arlene Ave	Pontiac	48340	Oakland County	Pontiac City School District	No	No	No	No	(248) 451-7970	0	1	.0	—	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Learn4Life Pontiac	Public, Charter	9-12	142 Auburn Ave	Pontiac	48342	Oakland County	Learn4Life Pontiac	Yes	No	No	Yes	(248) 206-4316	104	6	16.7	80.8%	6 (5.8%)	84 (80.8%)	10 (9.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.8%)								(n/a)		18.8	343.5		275.6	314.3											$11,727	$899	$10,829

Frequently Asked Questions about Waterford Kettering High School

What district is Waterford Kettering High School in?

Waterford School District

How many students attend Waterford Kettering High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 909 students attended Waterford Kettering High School.

What is the racial makeup of Waterford Kettering High School?

Students at Waterford Kettering High School are 72% White, 14% Hispanic, 7% African American, 5% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What schools feed into Waterford Kettering High School?

Waterford Kettering High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Cooley Elementary School
Elementary : Houghton Elementary School
Elementary : Riverside Elementary School
Elementary : Schoolcraft Elementary School

Is Waterford Kettering High School a good school?

Waterford Kettering High School ranks 424^th of 800 Michigan high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Waterford Kettering High School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

MIMichigan High School Rankings

MIMichigan District Rankings

Schools in Waterford, MI

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Waterford Kettering High School!

Latest Michigan data All new data »

2021–22 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)NewOct 19, 2026

2025–26 M-Step, PSAT & SAT test scoresSep 4, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataJun 13, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Michigan Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.