Atherton Community Schools

The Atherton Community Schools district in Michigan operates three schools: Atherton Junior Senior High School, Atherton Elementary School, and Atherton Vern Van Y Educational Center. These schools serve a predominantly socioeconomically disadvantaged student population, with high rates of free and reduced-price lunch recipients across all three campuses.

Atherton Junior Senior High School stands out as the largest school in the district, with 370 students, and has a relatively high 4-year graduation rate of 94.2%. However, it also has a concerning dropout rate of 5.7% and significantly below-average test scores compared to state standards. Atherton Elementary School faces similar academic challenges, with only 9.3% of 3rd graders proficient in ELA and 27.9% proficient in Math. The district's alternative school, Atherton Vern Van Y Educational Center, struggles the most, with an extremely low 4-year graduation rate of 29.6% and a high dropout rate of 37%.

Across the Atherton Community Schools district, chronic absenteeism rates are alarmingly high, ranging from 23.5% to 53%, which likely contributes to the widespread academic underperformance. The district's schools also serve a highly diverse student population, with the high school having a majority non-white student body. These factors suggest significant equity and resource challenges that the district must address to improve educational outcomes for all students.