Best High Schools in Zip Code 49079

Zip code 49079 is home to two high schools within the Paw Paw Public School District: Paw Paw High School, a traditional 9-12 school with 638 students, and Cedar Street Community and Family Center, a smaller alternative program serving grades 6-12 with just 76 students.

For parents, the most important takeaway is that these two schools serve very different purposes. Paw Paw High School is the district's academic leader, ranking 200th out of 739 Michigan high schools (73rd percentile, 4 stars) and posting a strong 94.4% graduation rate—well above the state average of 84%. Its students perform best in Social Studies, where proficiency exceeds state averages, and the school also beats the state on chronic absenteeism (22.2% vs. 27.9%). However, math remains a weakness, with SAT Math proficiency at just 21.6% and 9th-grade PSAT Math at 27%, both trailing state averages. In contrast, Cedar Street Community and Family Center is an alternative education program for at-risk students, reflected in its 60.5% free/reduced lunch rate, 35.7% graduation rate, and 60.2% chronic absenteeism. It spends more per student ($17,675 vs. $15,148) and maintains a lower student-teacher ratio (11.4:1 vs. 18.2:1), indicating intensive support, but its outcomes on traditional metrics are far below those of Paw Paw High School.

Within the same district, the contrast is stark: Paw Paw High School has a dropout rate of just 1.3%, while Cedar Street sits at 38.1%. This disparity drags the district's overall graduation rate (81.2%) below the state average, despite Paw Paw High School's excellent performance. Notably, Paw Paw High School improved its state ranking from 312th to 200th in one year, showing positive momentum. For families seeking a traditional high school experience with strong graduation outcomes, Paw Paw High School is the clear choice, while Cedar Street serves a specialized, high-needs population where standard metrics may not fully capture the support being provided.