Summary:
Zip code 48170, covering the Plymouth, Michigan area, is home to just one high school: Starkweather Academy Fiegel, a small alternative school serving grades 10-12 within the highly-rated Plymouth-Canton Community Schools district.
For parents, the most important thing to understand is that this is not a traditional comprehensive high school. Starkweather Academy Fiegel is an alternative academy designed for students who have struggled in conventional settings, offering a more intimate environment with just 194 students and a 13.1:1 student-teacher ratio. The school serves a high-need population, with 43.81% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, and it spends a substantial $24,461 per pupil—reflecting the intensive support services provided. However, academic outcomes are significantly below both district and state averages. For example, only 19.6% of 11th graders are proficient in science, compared to 57.3% district-wide, and SAT reading/writing proficiency stands at 31.3% versus 74.1% for the district. The graduation rate is 60.6%, well below the district's 93.3%, though the dropout rate of 5.1% is actually better than the state average of 7.1%.
The most pressing concern is chronic absenteeism, which affects 79.7% of students—nearly four times the district rate and almost three times the state rate. This likely drives many of the academic challenges. The school's state ranking has remained stable in the bottom 15th-20th percentile over three years, indicating entrenched difficulties rather than a sudden crisis. That said, this school serves as a critical safety net within an otherwise excellent district, giving at-risk students a second chance to stay engaged and earn credits. While direct comparisons to district averages are misleading given the different student populations, parents should view Starkweather Academy Fiegel as a specialized option for students needing alternative pathways, not as a reflection of the district's typical academic performance.
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