Waterford Mott High School

Waterford Mott High School is a large public high school in Waterford, MI, serving 963 students in grades 9-12 as part of the Waterford School District.

If you're considering Waterford Mott, the most important thing to know is that the school faces significant challenges with student attendance and math achievement. Over 41% of students are chronically absent—meaning they miss substantial amounts of school—which is nearly double the state average and far higher than nearby Waterford Kettering High School (28%) or Clarkston High School (15%). This attendance struggle likely connects to academics: only about 8% of Mott's 11th graders scored proficient in math on the SAT, compared to 24% at Kettering and 43% at Clarkston. Reading and writing scores are also below state averages, though the gap is less extreme. On a positive note, Mott's graduation rate of 86% is slightly above the Michigan average, suggesting that most students do finish high school even if test scores are low.

One striking pattern is the gap between Mott and its sister school, Kettering, which is only about three miles away. Kettering outperforms Mott in nearly every academic measure, including a 95% graduation rate. Both schools serve similar communities within the same district, so this difference points to school-specific factors rather than neighborhood demographics. Another concern is that Mott's support for special education students has declined sharply in recent years, with the school now ranking in the bottom 1% statewide for that subgroup. The school does spend more per student ($19,074) than either Kettering or Clarkston, which suggests that additional funding alone hasn't solved these challenges. For parents, this means asking pointed questions about attendance support, math intervention programs, and how special education services are delivered before enrolling.