Schools in Zip Code 49725

Zip code 49725, serving the small rural community of De Tour Village in Michigan's eastern Upper Peninsula, is home to two schools that together educate roughly 122 students across grades PK-12: DeTour Arts and Technology Academy and DeTour High School.

For parents, the most important takeaway is that these two schools offer very different experiences despite sharing an address at 202 Division St. DeTour High School, part of DeTour Area Schools, is the traditional academic anchor with a strong 92.8% graduation rate (well above the 84% state average) and a low 8.3:1 student-teacher ratio. However, it struggles with a 38.7% chronic absenteeism rate and has shown a steady decline in its state ranking over the past decade, falling from the 69th percentile in 2015-2016 to the 32nd percentile recently. In contrast, DeTour Arts and Technology Academy, operating under its own district, serves a higher-need population (58.4% free/reduced lunch) and posts dramatically lower graduation (38.4%) and higher dropout (30.7%) rates, yet it achieves remarkable test scores—including 75% proficiency in 7th grade math versus a 33.3% state average—and has an impressively low 11.1% chronic absenteeism rate.

The most striking finding is the spending paradox: DeTour High School spends $48,122 per student, nearly 28 times more than the $1,713 spent at DeTour Arts and Technology Academy, yet the alternative school outperforms on most test metrics. This likely reflects fixed costs at the traditional high school and different funding models. Parents should also note that with only 45-77 students per school, a single student's performance can swing percentages by 1-2%, so year-to-year comparisons should be viewed cautiously. Ultimately, families choosing between these schools must weigh the high school's strong graduation record against the alternative school's superior test performance and student engagement, while considering which environment best fits their child's needs.