Dryden Community Schools

The Dryden Community Schools district in Michigan consists of two schools: Dryden High School and Dryden Elementary School. While both schools have relatively small enrollments, they face some notable challenges, including declining academic performance, high chronic absenteeism rates, and a lack of diversity among the student population.

Dryden High School has seen a concerning decline in its statewide ranking, dropping from 240 out of 735 Michigan high schools in 2022-2023 to 448 out of 743 in 2023-2024. The school's test scores are generally below state averages, and it has a lower-than-average four-year graduation rate of 80% and a higher-than-average dropout rate of 7.5%. Additionally, the high school faces a significant issue with chronic absenteeism, with a rate of 19%.

While Dryden Elementary School has a slightly more diverse student population, it is still predominantly white at 86.58%. The elementary school's test scores are also mostly below state averages, and it has a chronic absenteeism rate of 17%, which is also quite high. The district's spending per student is relatively similar between the high school and elementary school, but the high school's academic performance and outcomes are generally weaker, suggesting a potential imbalance in resource allocation or ineffective use of resources at the high school level.