Best Public Schools in Lake City, MI

The city of Lake City, Michigan is home to three public schools serving students from elementary through high school: Lake City Elementary School, Lake City High School, and Lake City Middle School. These schools, part of the Lake City Area School District, serve a predominantly white student population and demonstrate a mix of academic strengths and challenges.

Lake City Elementary School stands out for its relatively high proficiency rates in M-Step Math for 3rd and 4th grades, as well as strong performance in 5th grade M-Step Science. However, the school faces a concerning issue with high chronic absenteeism at 32.4%. Lake City High School outperforms the state average in 11th grade M-Step Science, but struggles with low proficiency rates in 11th grade SAT Math. The school's 4-year graduation rate of 77.1% is also below the state average, and its 11.9% dropout rate is a cause for concern.

Across the three schools, attendance challenges are a common theme, with chronic absenteeism rates ranging from 26.5% to 32.4%. The schools demonstrate a mix of academic strengths and weaknesses, with some areas exceeding state averages and others lagging behind. Resource allocation, as measured by spending per student and student-teacher ratios, appears relatively consistent across the district, though the impact on academic outcomes is unclear. Overall, the data suggests that the Lake City Area School District may benefit from targeted interventions and strategies to address attendance and academic performance issues, and support student success.