Summary:
Zip code 49845 is home to just one high school, Bark River-Harris Jr/Sr High School, a small rural school in Michigan's Upper Peninsula serving grades 7-12 with 311 students and part of the Bark River-Harris School District.
For parents, this school offers a mix of notable strengths and a few clear challenges. The most striking news is the school's dramatic one-year improvement in state rankings, jumping from the 39th to the 70th percentile. This momentum is backed by strong middle school performance, particularly in 8th grade, where students exceed state averages by double digits in science (56% vs. 39% proficient), social studies (63% vs. 50%), and PSAT English (80% vs. 65%). The school also shines in English Language Arts across nearly all grades, with 9th graders hitting an impressive 84% proficiency on the PSAT. Graduation rates are solid at 88%, and the dropout rate of 4.7% is well below the state average. However, math is a clear weak spot, especially at the high school level—only 22% of 11th graders are proficient in SAT math, compared to 27% statewide, and 10th-grade PSAT math also lags. This creates a stark divide between strong reading skills and weaker math skills, which could impact college readiness in STEM fields.
One thing to keep in mind is the small cohort size—roughly 50 students per grade—which means year-to-year scores can swing significantly, as seen in the 11th-grade volatility. Chronic absenteeism (23.6%) is higher than the district average of 16.4%, suggesting attendance issues are concentrated at this Jr/Sr High level. With about 41% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch and per-student spending at $13,721, the school achieves strong results in many areas despite moderate economic challenges. The math deficiency is the most pressing area for improvement, but given the school's recent upward trajectory and small class sizes, it appears well-positioned to address this in the coming years.
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