Cambridge Alternative High School

Summary:

Cambridge Alternative High School is a public high school located in Garden City, Michigan, serving grades 9-12 with a student population of 353. The school is part of the Garden City Public Schools district, which is ranked 467 out of 610 districts in Michigan and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Compared to nearby schools like Garden City High School, Cambridge Alternative has a significantly higher percentage of minority students, with 32.86% African American and 4.25% Hispanic students. Academically, the school consistently ranks in the bottom quartile of Michigan high schools, with only 11.5% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in M-Step/Science, compared to 25.4% for the Garden City Public Schools district and 37.5% for the state of Michigan. Cambridge Alternative also struggles with low graduation rates, reaching only 52% in the 2022-2023 school year, and high dropout rates, reaching 20.3% in the same year.

The data suggests that Cambridge Alternative faces significant challenges, likely influenced by factors such as the socioeconomic status of its student population, which has 71.95% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to 44.21% at Garden City High School. The school's high rates of chronic absenteeism, reaching 77.8% in 2022-2023, further indicate the need for targeted interventions and support to address the underlying issues and improve student outcomes.

Detail:

Public 9-12

28901 Cambridge St
Garden City, MI 48135-2113

(734) 762-8430

District: Garden City Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
692^nd of 743 Michigan High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,864

Student/teacher ratio: 29.1

Number of students: 353

Racial breakdown:

White:

58.6%

African American:

32.9%

Hispanic:

4.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 72%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Cambridge Alternative High School ranks worse than 93.1% of high schools in Michigan. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 7.25. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Cambridge Alternative High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

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

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (58.6%), African American (32.9%), Hispanic (4.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 72% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cambridge Alternative High School is 29.1. (See more...)

Compare Cambridge Alternative High School employs 12.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cambridge Alternative High School is $11,864.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Cambridge Alternative High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Cambridge Alternative High School 692^nd of 743 Michigan public high schools. (See Cambridge Alternative High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Garden City Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Garden City Public Schools 467^th of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Cambridge Alternative High School

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Rank History for all students at Cambridge Alternative High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2009	7.31	698^th	754	7.4%
2011	12.74	671^st	784	14.4%
2012	15.70	627^th	773	18.9%
2013	7.61	764^th	805	5.1%
2014	8.56	724^th	799	9.4%
2015	16.72	683^rd	832	17.9%
2016	7.97	748^th	852	12.2%
2018	5.22	779^th	824	5.5%
2023	5.26	706^th	735	3.9%
2024	7.25	692^nd	743	6.9%

See the entire list of Michigan High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Cambridge Alternative High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	12.94	293^rd	315	7.0%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Cambridge Alternative High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	4.23	606^th	614	1.3%
2024	7.94	618^th	654	5.5%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Cambridge Alternative High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	3.93	673^rd	710	5.2%
2024	7.64	577^th	619	6.8%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Cambridge Alternative High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	3.63	681^st	707	3.7%
2023	5.41	588^th	611	3.8%
2024	4.12	616^th	633	2.7%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Cambridge Alternative High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	2.81	679^th	708	4.1%
2023	2.71	640^th	647	1.1%
2024	4.26	618^th	638	3.1%

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.

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a citizen
Friday, May 15, 2009

My brother was not going to graduate because of some childish mistakes he had made. Cambridge center has turned his life around. He works everyday with autistic children and teens and he loves it. He will be graduating on May 29th 2009 and I couldn't be more proud of him! This school has done an amazing job with him. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Cambridge Alternative High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2007	229	97	1	13	2	n/a	n/a	342
2008	226	120	n/a	11	n/a	n/a	n/a	357
2009	210	182	0	7	3	n/a	n/a	402
2010	162	201	1	15	2	n/a	n/a	381
2011	209	207	0	16	2	0	0	434
2012	292	248	1	15	1	0	0	557
2013	243	237	2	12	0	0	0	494
2014	205	219	3	8	0	0	1	436
2015	173	196	2	4	0	0	2	377
2016	207	179	1	5	1	0	2	395
2017	219	179	1	6	5	0	1	411
2018	242	169	0	11	9	0	2	433
2019	223	158	1	9	6	0	3	400
2020	227	124	0	10	5	0	5	371
2021	193	105	1	12	5	0	5	321
2022	193	91	1	10	1	0	9	305
2023	207	116	0	15	3	0	12	353

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 Cambridge Alternative High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	342	13.2	25.9	24
2008	357	35.2	10.1	24.4
2009	402	35.9	11.2	33.8
2010	381	42.2	9.0	40.4
2011	434	32.0	13.5	35
2012	557	41.3	13.4	49.7
2013	494	44.0	11.2	58.9
2014	436	33.6	12.9	54.1
2015	377	19.0	19.8	63.4
2016	395	13.0	30.3	65.8
2017	411	10.8	37.7	64.2
2018	433	13.4	32.2	78.5
2019	400	12.0	33.2	76
2020	371	14.4	25.7	69.3
2021	321	10.4	30.8	79.1
2022	305	12.5	24.4	73.1
2023	353	12.1	29.1	72

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 Cambridge Alternative High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	342	13.2	25.9	24
2008	357	35.2	10.1	24.4
2009	402	35.9	11.2	33.8
2010	381	42.2	9.0	40.4
2011	434	32.0	13.5	35
2012	557	41.3	13.4	49.7
2013	494	44.0	11.2	58.9
2014	436	33.6	12.9	54.1
2015	377	19.0	19.8	63.4
2016	395	13.0	30.3	65.8
2017	411	10.8	37.7	64.2
2018	433	13.4	32.2	78.5
2019	400	12.0	33.2	76
2020	371	14.4	25.7	69.3
2021	321	10.4	30.8	79.1
2022	305	12.5	24.4	73.1
2023	353	12.1	29.1	72

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 Cambridge Alternative High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$489 (6.7%)	$6,858 (93.3%)	$7,347
2020	$413 (5.4%)	$7,241 (94.6%)	$7,654
2021	$777 (8.8%)	$8,014 (91.2%)	$8,791
2022	$866 (8.4%)	$9,480 (91.6%)	$10,346
2023	$1,517 (12.8%)	$10,346 (87.2%)	$11,864

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Cambridge Alternative 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.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	400	353	11.8%
African American	158	116	26.6%
American Indian	6	3	50%
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	9	15	66.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	223	207	7.2%
Two or More Races	3	12	300%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	76%	72%	4%

Schools Near Cambridge Alternative High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				PSAT English Language Arts (2024)	PSAT Mathematics (2024)	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (2024)	SAT Mathematics (2024)	M-Step English Language Arts (2024)	M-Step Math (2024)	M-Step Science (2024)		M-Step Social Studies (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSAT English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSAT Mathematics 8th Grade	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 7th Grade	M-Step Math 7th Grade	M-Step Science 8th Grade	M-Step Science 11th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 8th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Cambridge Alternative High School	Public	9-12	28901 Cambridge St	Garden City	48135	Wayne County	Garden City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(734) 762-8430	353	12	29.1	72.0%	207 (58.6%)	116 (32.9%)	15 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.4%)	7.3	692^nd of 743 public high schools	6.9%		5.3	706^th of 735 public high schools	3.9%	14			16.5					11.5		12.8	$11,864	$1,517	$10,346
Garden City High School	Public	9-12	6500 Middlebelt Rd	Garden City	48135	Wayne County	Garden City Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(734) 762-8350	846	51	16.5	44.2%	651 (77.0%)	87 (10.3%)	64 (7.6%)	16 (1.9%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	24 (2.8%)	42.4	405^th of 743 public high schools	45.5%		35.3	471^st of 735 public high schools	35.9%	66			48.9	22.7				32.2		29.4	$17,681	$2,284	$15,397
Franklin High School	Public	9-12	31000 Joy Rd	Livonia	48150	Wayne County	Livonia Public Schools School District	No	No	No	No	(734) 744-2655	1,327	65	20.4	40.5%	1,009 (76.0%)	123 (9.3%)	98 (7.4%)	25 (1.9%)	8 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	64 (4.8%)	56	296^th of 743 public high schools	60.2%		59.1	275^th of 735 public high schools	62.6%	21			51.9	27.1				37.1		40.2	$15,689	$898	$14,791
Crestwood High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	1501 N Beech Daly Rd	Dearborn Heights	48127	Wayne County	Crestwood School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(313) 278-7475	1,336	68	19.5	71.7%	1,230 (92.1%)	63 (4.7%)	26 (1.9%)	7 (0.5%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (0.5%)	41.3	411^th of 743 public high schools	44.7%		37.4	452^nd of 735 public high schools	38.5%	41			46.6	26.7				28.3		29.0	$15,409	$2,017	$13,391
American International Academy High SchoolMiddle Schooll	Public, Charter	7-12	27100 Avondale St	Inkster	48141	Wayne County	American International Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(734) 713-5525	245	13	18.3	98.0%	2 (0.8%)	237 (96.7%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.4%)	11.5	658^th of 743 public high schools	11.4%					(n/a)	11.9				14.6		14.3	13.8		17.2	$3,147	$509	$2,638
Blended Learning Academies Credit Recovery High School Liv	Public, Charter	9-12	30218 Plymouth Rd	Livonia	48150	Wayne County	Blended Learning Academies Credit Recovery High School	Yes	No	No	No	(248) 425-5868	23	2	11.5	47.8%	20 (87.0%)	3 (13.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)											$11,595	$580	$11,015
Westwood North Academy	Public	7-12	25824 Michigan Ave	Inkster	48141	Wayne County	Westwood Community School District	No	No	No	No	(313) 565-0400	67	3	19.7	89.6%	9 (13.4%)	58 (86.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)											$16,018	$3,544	$12,474
Dearborn Magnet High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	22586 Ann Arbor Trl	Dearborn Heights	48127	Wayne County	Dearborn City School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(313) 827-4800	0	2	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	8.2	680^th of 743 public high schools	8.5%		7	687^th of 735 public high schools	6.5%	7								13.8		10.3	$37,277	$2,633	$34,644
Lee M Thurston High School	Public	9-12	26255 Schoolcraft	Redford	48239	Wayne County	South Redford School District	No	No	No	No	(313) 242-0600	883	51	17.4	62.3%	95 (10.8%)	708 (80.2%)	26 (2.9%)	5 (0.6%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (5.2%)	26.6	533^rd of 743 public high schools	28.3%		14.8	632^nd of 735 public high schools	14.0%	99			33.7	5.5				31.7		28.6	$17,496	$1,910	$15,586
Westfield Preparatory High School	Public, Charter	7-12	23750 Elmira	Redford	48239	Wayne County	Westfield Charter Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(313) 778-7990	828	47	17.5	84.5%	5 (0.6%)	751 (90.7%)	11 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	59 (7.1%)	6.1	705^th of 743 public high schools	5.1%		14.8	631^st of 735 public high schools	14.1%	74	49.3	15.9	18.5		19.0	10.3	20.3	9.2	8.7	9.3	$21,322	$3,329	$17,993

Frequently Asked Questions about Cambridge Alternative High School

How many students attend Cambridge Alternative High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 353 students attended Cambridge Alternative High School.

What district is Cambridge Alternative High School in?

Garden City Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Cambridge Alternative High School?

Students at Cambridge Alternative High School are 59% White, 33% African American, 4% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

Is Cambridge Alternative High School a good school?

Cambridge Alternative High School ranks in the bottom 6.9% of Michigan high schools.

Rate Cambridge Alternative High School!

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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.