Summary:
Zip code 48801, serving the Alma, Michigan area, is home to two high schools: Alma Senior High School and Gratiot Continuous Learning Center, which together serve grades 9 through 12 but represent vastly different educational models.
Alma Senior High School, part of Alma Public Schools, is the dominant institution, enrolling 552 students—over 93% of all high schoolers in the zip code. It stands out for its strong performance: a 91.6% graduation rate (well above the 84% state average) and a remarkably low 2.2% dropout rate. The school has also shown impressive momentum, jumping from the 36th to the 56th percentile in state rankings in just one year. Its biggest academic strength is English Language Arts, where 9th graders score 7.4 points above the state average, but math remains a clear weakness, with only 20.2% of 11th graders proficient on the SAT—a 33-point gap compared to their reading/writing scores. Encouragingly, science proficiency more than doubled year-over-year to 28.3%. Serving a predominantly low-income population (65.76% free/reduced lunch), the school still achieves above-average graduation rates, though chronic absenteeism (27.3%) mirrors the state average.
In stark contrast, Gratiot Continuous Learning Center, affiliated with Ashley Community Schools, is a small alternative program with just 41 students. Its graduation rate (17.6%) and dropout rate (23.5%) are deeply concerning, but this school serves a different purpose—offering a more personalized setting (11.7:1 student-teacher ratio) for students who struggled in traditional schools. With 78% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, it faces significant economic challenges. While its only available test score (9th grade ELA at 36.4%) lags far behind state averages, the school provides a critical safety net for at-risk youth. For parents, the choice is clear: Alma Senior High School offers the strongest academics and outcomes, while the alternative center serves a specialized, high-need population.
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