High Schools in Alpena Public Schools

The Alpena Public Schools district in Michigan is home to two high schools: Alpena High School and ACES Academy. While Alpena High School is the larger and higher-performing of the two, with a strong academic record and graduation rates, ACES Academy has struggled with significantly lower graduation rates, higher dropout rates, and weaker academic performance.

Alpena High School stands out as the district's flagship high school, with an enrollment of 1,101 students and a consistently high ranking in the statewide SchoolDigger rankings, reaching as high as 183rd out of 735 Michigan high schools in 2022-2023. In contrast, ACES Academy, with just 70 students, has faced significant challenges, including a graduation rate of only 14.2% and a dropout rate of 46.4%. The academic performance of ACES Academy, as measured by proficiency rates on state assessments, also lags behind Alpena High and the district/state averages.

The data suggests that the disparities between the two schools may be influenced by factors such as socioeconomic status, with ACES Academy serving a student population that is predominantly from low-income households (91.43% receive free/reduced lunch), compared to Alpena High (51.23%). Additionally, the stark difference in student-teacher ratios, with Alpena High at 21.7 and ACES Academy at 109.3, may also play a role in the performance gap. Further investigation into the underlying causes of these differences could help identify targeted strategies to support the lower-performing school and ensure equitable educational opportunities for all students within the Alpena Public Schools district.