Summary:
Zip code 49721 in Cheboygan, Michigan, is home to two high schools serving grades 6-12 under the Cheboygan Area Schools district, together educating roughly 630 students in a small, northern Michigan community.
Cheboygan Area High School is the clear academic leader, serving about 87% of the area's students. It boasts a strong 94.6% graduation rate—well above both the district (82.5%) and state (84.0%) averages—and a very low 1.7% dropout rate. The school performs particularly well in 8th-grade science (48.5% proficiency vs. 39.2% statewide) and 8th-grade ELA (62.9% proficiency). However, math proficiency is a notable weakness, with only 21.1% of 11th graders proficient in SAT math and 26.4% of 10th graders proficient in PSAT math, both below state averages. Recent year-over-year test scores in 11th-grade science, social studies, and reading/writing have also declined significantly, though this may reflect cohort differences. Chronic absenteeism sits at 20.0%, better than the state's 27.9% but above the district's 16.6%.
In stark contrast, Inverness Academy, an alternative program, faces serious challenges. Its graduation rate is just 45.7%—less than half of Cheboygan Area High School's—and its dropout rate is 14.2%, eight times higher. The school ranks in the bottom 11th percentile statewide and serves a highly disadvantaged population, with 76.83% of students receiving free/reduced lunch. Compounding these issues, Inverness spends $3,368 less per student ($12,475 vs. $15,843) despite serving higher-need students. Chronic absenteeism is also elevated at 29.5%. The performance gap between these two schools significantly drags down district-wide averages, highlighting the need for more equitable resource allocation and targeted support for Inverness students to improve outcomes.
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