Summary:
Zip code 49707 in Alpena, Michigan, is served by 8 schools—4 elementary, 1 middle, 2 high, and 1 alternative—enrolling roughly 3,177 students across the Alpena Public Schools district and the Alpena-Montmorency-Alcona Education Service District, an area where 56-79% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
For parents, the standout choice is Hinks Elementary, which consistently earns 3 stars and outperforms its peers despite above-average poverty. Hinks posts 4th grade ELA proficiency of 55% and math of 50%, compared to district averages of 36.7% and 26.5%, and has the lowest chronic absenteeism at 13%. In contrast, Lincoln Elementary struggles most, with the highest poverty rate (78.8%) and highest per-student spending ($16,275) yet the lowest performance, though it is improving from a 14th percentile rank. Besser Elementary and Ella M White Elementary fall in between, with Besser showing volatile year-over-year scores. At the secondary level, Thunder Bay Junior High and Alpena High School both sit below state averages in math, though Alpena High excels in humanities—61% SAT reading/writing and 58% social studies vs. state averages of 52.1% and 43.2%. ACES Academy and Pied Piper School serve high-need alternative populations with very low graduation rates (44.8% and 0%).
The most urgent issue is chronic absenteeism, which skyrockets from 13-25% in elementary schools to 56% at Thunder Bay and 74.2% at Alpena High—nearly triple the state rate. Math is a universal weakness, with gaps of 14-20 points below state averages across all grades. However, science is a district strength, with several schools exceeding state proficiency by 10-19 points. Notably, Hinks proves poverty doesn't dictate outcomes, and most schools show improving ranking trends, suggesting targeted interventions in attendance and math could yield significant gains.
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