Ferndale High School

Summary:

Ferndale High School is a public high school located in Ferndale, Michigan, serving 712 students in grades 9-12. The school's student population has become increasingly diverse, with a decrease in white students (from 30.87% in 2020-2021 to 25.7% in 2022-2023) and an increase in African American students (from 58.12% in 2020-2021 to 64.19% in 2022-2023).

Ferndale High School has maintained relatively high four-year graduation rates, ranging from 92.7% to 97.8% over the past five years, and low dropout rates, ranging from 0.0% to 2.6%. However, the school has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 23.1% in 2018-2019 to 53.0% in 2022-2023. Academically, Ferndale High School's test scores, particularly in mathematics and science, have been consistently lower than the state and district averages. For example, in 2023-2024, only 14.9% of 11th-grade students were proficient or better in SAT Mathematics, compared to the state average of 26.3%. The school's high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 57.58% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023, may contribute to these academic challenges.

Compared to nearby schools, Ferndale High School's performance is generally stronger than that of Tri County Educational Center, which has significantly lower graduation rates and higher dropout rates. However, Ferndale High School lags behind the performance of University High School, another Ferndale Public Schools high school, in areas such as test scores and chronic absenteeism. Additionally, Ferndale High School's data reveals significant racial disparities, with the school's white students ranking 90th out of 638 Michigan high schools, while the African American students ranked 156th out of 188 Michigan high schools.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 881 Pinecrest Dr
       Ferndale, MI  48220-2310


(248) 548-8622

District: Ferndale Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
583rd of 743 Michigan High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $15,768 Help


Feeder schools for Ferndale High School:

Elementary:    Ferndale Lower Elementary Campus
    Ferndale Upper Elementary Campus
Middle:    Ferndale Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  19.5 Help
Number of students:  734

Racial breakdown:

African American:
61.6%
White:
26.6%
Two or more races:
6.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  58.4% Help


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 Compare Ferndale High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Ferndale High School ranks worse than 78.5% of high schools in Michigan. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 21.94. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Ferndale High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Ferndale High School has the largest high school student body size in the Ferndale Public Schools District. Racial makeup is: African American (61.6%), White (26.6%), two or more races (6.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 58.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ferndale High School is 19.5, which is the 2nd best among 2 high schools in the Ferndale Public Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Ferndale High School employs 37.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ferndale High School is $15,768, which is the highest among 4 high schools in the Ferndale Public Schools District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Ferndale High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Ferndale High School 583rd of 743 Michigan public high schools. (See Ferndale High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
White students:




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Rank History for Ferndale High School

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Rank History for all students at Ferndale High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 48.81 440th 705 37.6%
2007 48.26 475th 767 38.1%
2008 42.66 510th 750 32.0%
2009 33.56 553rd 754 26.7%
2010 44.56 506th 765 33.9%
2011 50.40 490th 784 37.5%
2012 55.36 388th 773 49.8%
2013 49.88 432nd 805 46.3%
2014 50.01 438th 799 45.2%
2015 52.38 416th 832 50.0%
2016 43.49 462nd 852 45.8%
2017 42.78 442nd 835 47.1%
2018 39.20 498th 824 39.6%
2019 23.75 522nd 666 21.6%
2021 65.54 143rd 561 74.5%
2022 32.02 411th 531 22.6%
2023 32.42 498th 735 32.2%
2024 21.94 583rd 743 21.5%
See the entire list of Michigan High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Ferndale High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 50.49 16th 36 55.6%
2024 28.65 78th 105 25.7%
See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Ferndale High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.14 304th 315 3.5%
See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ferndale High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.49 549th 755 27.3%
2019 15.58 460th 532 13.5%
2022 8.59 362nd 369 1.9%
2023 29.55 449th 614 26.9%
2024 11.35 592nd 654 9.5%
See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Ferndale High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.49 477th 710 32.8%
2019 17.44 472nd 554 14.8%
2021 63.59 130th 462 71.9%
2022 16.77 391st 416 6.0%
2023 24.68 469th 611 23.2%
2024 18.96 503rd 619 18.7%
See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Ferndale High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.00 447th 707 36.8%
2019 19.48 454th 543 16.4%
2021 49.93 206th 472 56.4%
2022 38.73 292nd 440 33.6%
2023 29.99 429th 611 29.8%
2024 16.53 544th 633 14.1%
See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Ferndale High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.36 155th 254 39.0%
2019 22.15 113th 147 23.1%
2022 22.49 49th 51 3.9%
2023 23.66 131st 170 22.9%
2024 20.21 156th 188 17.0%
See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at Ferndale High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 89.15 59th 708 91.7%
2019 63.15 194th 582 66.7%
2022 88.65 58th 492 88.2%
2023 82.85 88th 647 86.4%
2024 80.23 90th 638 85.9%
See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Michigan Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Ferndale High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Ferndale High School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1158 260 35 10 1 n/a n/a -2 1462
1989 1087 248 29 7 4 n/a n/a -2 1373
1990 990 244 24 5 7 n/a n/a -1 1269
1991 951 229 20 9 5 n/a n/a 0 1214
1992 935 216 20 7 7 n/a n/a 0 1185
1993 945 244 25 9 3 n/a n/a 0 1226
1994 960 270 24 12 2 n/a n/a 0 1268
1995 927 296 28 8 3 n/a n/a 0 1262
1996 927 296 28 8 3 n/a n/a 0 1262
1997 909 306 26 8 2 n/a n/a 0 1251
1998 920 322 20 4 2 n/a n/a 0 1268
1999 861 341 16 6 1 n/a n/a 0 1225
2000 784 410 18 8 1 n/a n/a 0 1221
2001 730 429 18 6 1 n/a n/a 0 1184
2002 630 412 19 11 6 n/a n/a 0 1078
2003 630 412 19 11 6 n/a n/a 0 1078
2004 587 479 17 15 8 n/a n/a 0 1106
2005 543 536 20 16 8 n/a n/a 0 1123
2006 497 583 17 13 9 n/a n/a 0 1119
2007 471 668 15 9 10 n/a n/a 0 1173
2008 408 664 20 8 7 n/a n/a 0 1107
2009 408 621 11 4 7 n/a n/a 5 1056
2010 362 601 20 13 8 n/a n/a 0 1004
2011 312 579 18 16 5 2 34 0 966
2012 299 510 21 12 1 0 41 0 884
2013 265 461 19 15 2 0 43 0 805
2014 236 419 15 15 1 0 55 0 741
2015 234 377 11 22 1 0 54 0 699
2016 214 380 14 27 0 0 49 0 684
2017 217 439 17 30 1 0 61 0 765
2018 214 418 17 26 2 0 50 0 727
2019 220 441 16 19 2 0 51 0 749
2020 218 410 10 19 1 0 50 0 708
2021 213 401 4 21 2 0 49 0 690
2022 185 410 9 22 2 1 43 0 672
2023 183 457 6 20 3 1 42 0 712
2024 195 452 9 24 2 1 51 0 734

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Ferndale High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1462 n/a n/a n/a
1989 1373 n/a n/a 10.1
1990 1269 98.0 12.9 8.6
1991 1214 n/a n/a n/a
1992 1185 n/a n/a 14.8
1993 1226 n/a 0.0 16
1994 1268 62.1 20.4 20.7
1995 1262 60.8 20.8 19.3
1996 1262 60.8 20.8 19.3
1997 1251 61.0 20.5 10.2
1998 1268 59.0 21.5 12.2
1999 1225 57.0 21.5 21.1
2000 1221 56.8 21.5 29.1
2001 1184 57.3 20.7 24.2
2002 1078 45.0 24.0 45.8
2003 1078 45.0 24.0 45.8
2004 1106 60.3 18.3 59.3
2005 1123 56.7 19.8 61.9
2006 1119 56.8 19.7 61.1
2007 1173 93.8 12.5 45.8
2008 1107 82.0 13.5 46.8
2009 1056 94.4 11.2 55
2010 1004 96.5 10.4 56
2011 966 58.5 16.5 56.9
2012 884 48.9 18.0 55.7
2013 805 42.3 19.0 55.7
2014 741 40.1 18.4 58.3
2015 699 41.0 17.0 56.8
2016 684 41.0 16.6 57.2
2017 765 36.5 20.9 57.9
2018 727 30.2 24.0 58.6
2019 749 36.5 20.4 55.1
2020 708 34.4 20.5 55.9
2021 690 34.7 19.8 56.5
2022 672 38.0 17.6 52.5
2023 712 41.5 17.1 57.6
2024 734 37.6 19.5 58.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Ferndale High School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1462 n/a n/a n/a
1989 1373 n/a n/a 10.1
1990 1269 98.0 12.9 8.6
1991 1214 n/a n/a n/a
1992 1185 n/a n/a 14.8
1993 1226 n/a 0.0 16
1994 1268 62.1 20.4 20.7
1995 1262 60.8 20.8 19.3
1996 1262 60.8 20.8 19.3
1997 1251 61.0 20.5 10.2
1998 1268 59.0 21.5 12.2
1999 1225 57.0 21.5 21.1
2000 1221 56.8 21.5 29.1
2001 1184 57.3 20.7 24.2
2002 1078 45.0 24.0 45.8
2003 1078 45.0 24.0 45.8
2004 1106 60.3 18.3 59.3
2005 1123 56.7 19.8 61.9
2006 1119 56.8 19.7 61.1
2007 1173 93.8 12.5 45.8
2008 1107 82.0 13.5 46.8
2009 1056 94.4 11.2 55
2010 1004 96.5 10.4 56
2011 966 58.5 16.5 56.9
2012 884 48.9 18.0 55.7
2013 805 42.3 19.0 55.7
2014 741 40.1 18.4 58.3
2015 699 41.0 17.0 56.8
2016 684 41.0 16.6 57.2
2017 765 36.5 20.9 57.9
2018 727 30.2 24.0 58.6
2019 749 36.5 20.4 55.1
2020 708 34.4 20.5 55.9
2021 690 34.7 19.8 56.5
2022 672 38.0 17.6 52.5
2023 712 41.5 17.1 57.6
2024 734 37.6 19.5 58.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Ferndale High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $645 (5.5%) $11,157 (94.5%) $11,802
2020 $664 (5.6%) $11,254 (94.4%) $11,919
2021 $1,039 (7.9%) $12,083 (92.1%) $13,122
2022 $1,593 (10.6%) $13,498 (89.4%) $15,091
2023 $1,208 (7.7%) $14,561 (92.3%) $15,768

Data source: Michigan Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ferndale High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 522nd of 666 High schoolsRanks 498th of 735 High schools
 10.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade Social Studies (Ferndale High School)31.224.4
 6.8%
   11th Grade Social Studies (Ferndale Public Schools)22.315.2
 7.1%
   11th Grade Social Studies (Michigan)46.636.1
 10.5%
11th Grade Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Ferndale High School)36.242.2
 6%
   11th Grade Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Ferndale Public Schools)28.330.4
 2.1%
   11th Grade Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Michigan)55.352.2
 3.1%
11th Grade Mathematics (Ferndale High School)25.619.7
 5.9%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Ferndale Public Schools)14.410.5
 3.9%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Michigan)36.329.9
 6.4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students749712
 4.9%
African American441457
 3.6%
American Indian23
 50%
Asian166
 62.5%
Hispanic1920
 5.3%
Pacific Islander01
White220183
 16.8%
Two or More Races5142
 17.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients55.1%57.6%
 2.4%


Schools Near Ferndale High School









Frequently Asked Questions about Ferndale High School

Ferndale High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Ferndale Lower Elementary Campus
Elementary : Ferndale Upper Elementary Campus
Middle : Ferndale Middle School

Ferndale High School ranks in the bottom 21.5% of Michigan high schools.

In the 2023-24 school year, 734 students attended Ferndale High School.

Students at Ferndale High School are 62% African American, 27% White, 7% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic, 1% Asian.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Michigan Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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