Best High Schools in Zip Code 48811

Zip code 48811 is home to just one high school, Carson CityCrystal High School, which serves grades 9-12 in this small, rural Michigan community as part of the Carson City-Crystal Area Schools district.

With only 187 students, this is a small school where families will find a tight-knit environment. The most encouraging news is the school's clear upward momentum. Over the past two years, it has climbed 133 spots in the state rankings, moving from the bottom quartile to nearly the middle of the pack. This progress is backed by strong year-over-year gains in science (jumping nearly 15 percentage points) and improvements in SAT reading and math scores. The school also shines when it comes to keeping students on track: its graduation rate of 92.3% is well above the state average of 84%, and its dropout rate of just 2.5% is less than half the state figure. This suggests the school does an excellent job supporting students through to graduation, even while test scores in some areas still trail state averages.

For parents, the key takeaway is that this is a school with clear strengths and specific areas for growth. Science is a genuine standout, with 45.5% of 11th graders proficient, which is more than 10 points above the state average. However, math and English language arts remain challenges, particularly by 10th grade, where proficiency rates drop noticeably from 9th-grade levels. For instance, only 17.9% of 10th graders are proficient in math compared to 30.3% of 9th graders, suggesting a possible transition-year hurdle. With about 44% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, the school serves a community with moderate economic need, yet it still manages to outperform state averages in graduation and science. While per-student spending is solid at $14,274, the 20.2:1 student-teacher ratio is a bit high, and families may want to ask how the district plans to address the math and ELA gaps as the school continues its promising upward trend.