Is Brethren High School a good school?

Brethren High School ranks 357 th of 743 Michigan high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Brethren High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 177 students attended Brethren High School.

What is the racial makeup of Brethren High School?

Students at Brethren High School are 84% White, 5% Hispanic, 5% American Indian, 4% Two or more races, 1% African American.

What schools feed into Brethren High School?

Brethren High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : KND Elementary Middle : Brethren Middle School

Brethren High School

Summary:

Brethren High School is a public high school in Brethren, Michigan, serving 177 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Kaleva Norman Dickson School District, which is ranked 403 out of 610 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Brethren High School faces several challenges, including a high dropout rate ranging from 4.7% to 12.8% in recent years, significantly higher than the nearby Mesick Consolidated JrSr High School at 3.9%. The school also struggles with chronic absenteeism, reaching 42.5% in 2022-2023, much higher than the 73.8% rate at Casman Alternative Academy. Academically, Brethren High School's test scores are generally below the state average, with only 40.6% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in M-Step/Science and 43.8% proficient or better in SAT/Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, compared to the higher rates at Manistee Middle High School.

One potential contributing factor to Brethren High School's challenges is its high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, ranging from 64.41% to 73.3% receiving free or reduced-price lunch, significantly higher than the 50.22% rate at Manistee Area Public Schools. Despite these issues, the school's spending per student has increased from $11,918 in 2019-2020 to $14,700 in 2022-2023, higher than the nearby Bear Lake Schools. To address these concerns, the school and district should consider implementing targeted interventions and support programs to improve student outcomes and engagement.

Detail:

Public 9-12

4400 N High Bridge Rd
Brethren, MI 49619

(231) 477-5353

District: Kaleva Norman Dickson School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
357^th of 743 Michigan High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,700

Feeder schools for Brethren High School:

Elementary:	KND Elementary
Middle:	Brethren Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 19.1

Number of students: 177

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.2%

Hispanic:

5.1%

American Indian:

5.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 64.4%

See top rated Michigan high schools

Compare Brethren High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Brethren High School ranks better than 52% of high schools in Michigan. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 47.64. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Brethren 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 (84.2%), American Indian (5.1%), Hispanic (5.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 64.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Brethren High School is 19.1. (See more...)

Compare Brethren High School employs 9.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Brethren High School is $14,700.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Brethren High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Brethren High School 357^th of 743 Michigan public high schools. (See Brethren 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:

Kaleva Norman Dickson School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Kaleva Norman Dickson School District 403^rd of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Brethren High School?

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Rank History for Brethren High School

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Rank History for all students at Brethren High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2006	52.86	410^th	705	41.8%
2007	63.72	328^th	767	57.2%
2008	43.56	504^th	750	32.8%
2009	49.05	468^th	754	37.9%
2010	45.53	501^st	765	34.5%
2011	57.79	427^th	784	45.5%
2012	37.50	518^th	773	33.0%
2013	30.36	554^th	805	31.2%
2014	41.50	496^th	799	37.9%
2015	46.02	469^th	832	43.6%
2016	54.40	380^th	852	55.4%
2017	38.29	468^th	835	44.0%
2018	63.48	286^th	824	65.3%
2019	24.10	517^th	666	22.4%
2022	34.93	389^th	531	26.7%
2023	55.85	301^st	735	59.0%
2024	47.64	357^th	743	52.0%

See the entire list of Michigan High School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	85.22	70^th	755	90.7%
2019	48.09	279^th	532	47.6%
2023	62.86	192^nd	614	68.7%
2024	73.90	118^th	654	82.0%

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

Rank History for Female students at Brethren High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	39.29	436^th	710	38.6%
2019	32.97	388^th	554	30.0%
2022	52.39	215^th	416	48.3%
2023	53.08	274^th	611	55.2%
2024	56.00	256^th	619	58.6%

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

Rank History for Male students at Brethren High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	70.81	195^th	707	72.4%
2019	19.37	455^th	543	16.2%
2023	54.33	253^rd	611	58.6%
2024	53.08	268^th	633	57.7%

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

Rank History for White students at Brethren High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	57.38	290^th	708	59.0%
2019	18.08	496^th	582	14.8%
2022	22.91	420^th	492	14.6%
2023	42.51	355^th	647	45.1%
2024	48.85	307^th	638	51.9%

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.

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Brethren High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	338	0	2	3	10	n/a	n/a	-20	333
1989	337	0	4	3	7	n/a	n/a	-2	349
1990	307	0	2	6	7	n/a	n/a	-19	303
1991	307	0	2	8	7	n/a	n/a	0	324
1992	350	0	2	15	7	n/a	n/a	0	374
1993	356	0	4	8	6	n/a	n/a	0	374
1994	391	2	4	15	6	n/a	n/a	0	418
1995	418	1	3	9	12	n/a	n/a	0	443
1996	418	1	3	9	12	n/a	n/a	0	443
1997	439	1	2	9	14	n/a	n/a	0	465
1998	473	1	1	10	16	n/a	n/a	0	501
1999	480	3	2	9	15	n/a	n/a	0	509
2000	270	2	1	6	12	n/a	n/a	0	291
2001	266	2	0	2	14	n/a	n/a	0	284
2002	271	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	271
2003	271	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	271
2004	272	5	3	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	286
2005	266	6	2	0	8	n/a	n/a	0	282
2006	283	6	2	4	5	n/a	n/a	1	301
2007	253	8	2	5	6	n/a	n/a	1	275
2008	249	6	1	7	8	n/a	n/a	1	272
2009	206	5	1	5	5	n/a	n/a	0	222
2010	197	5	0	7	4	n/a	n/a	1	214
2011	189	5	0	10	4	0	2	0	210
2012	200	5	2	5	2	0	0	0	214
2013	149	6	0	8	1	0	0	0	164
2014	153	4	3	6	0	0	3	0	169
2015	141	8	3	4	2	0	4	0	162
2016	141	4	1	5	3	0	4	0	158
2017	144	4	0	9	4	0	6	0	167
2018	135	3	0	5	4	0	4	0	151
2019	124	0	0	9	4	2	2	0	141
2020	134	1	0	10	5	2	4	0	156
2021	150	1	0	9	8	3	5	0	176
2022	149	4	0	9	9	4	7	0	182
2023	149	2	0	9	9	1	7	0	177

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 Brethren High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	333	n/a	n/a	n/a
1989	349	n/a	n/a	33.2
1990	303	23.0	13.1	40.9
1991	324	n/a	n/a	n/a
1992	374	n/a	n/a	59.6
1993	374	n/a	0.0	54
1994	418	23.2	18.0	47.8
1995	443	25.5	17.4	39.5
1996	443	25.5	17.4	39.5
1997	465	26.0	17.9	31.2
1998	501	29.0	17.3	30.9
1999	509	34.0	15.0	34.4
2000	291	19.5	14.9	33.7
2001	284	20.0	14.2	37
2002	271	18.8	14.4	33.2
2003	271	18.8	14.4	33.2
2004	286	19.0	15.1	42.7
2005	282	18.8	15.0	52.1
2006	301	18.3	16.4	49.3
2007	275	16.3	16.9	59.5
2008	272	14.5	18.8	63.1
2009	222	11.8	18.8	66.7
2010	214	11.4	18.7	64.8
2011	210	10.4	20.0	67.1
2012	214	10.8	19.7	66.4
2013	164	9.0	18.1	66.5
2014	169	8.6	19.4	59.8
2015	162	8.0	20.2	58
2016	158	8.0	19.7	61.4
2017	167	7.0	23.6	71.3
2018	151	6.9	21.6	74.2
2019	141	6.5	21.5	70.2
2020	156	7.6	20.3	76.3
2021	176	8.3	21.0	73.3
2022	182	11.1	16.3	72
2023	177	9.2	19.1	64.4

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 Brethren High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	333	n/a	n/a	n/a
1989	349	n/a	n/a	33.2
1990	303	23.0	13.1	40.9
1991	324	n/a	n/a	n/a
1992	374	n/a	n/a	59.6
1993	374	n/a	0.0	54
1994	418	23.2	18.0	47.8
1995	443	25.5	17.4	39.5
1996	443	25.5	17.4	39.5
1997	465	26.0	17.9	31.2
1998	501	29.0	17.3	30.9
1999	509	34.0	15.0	34.4
2000	291	19.5	14.9	33.7
2001	284	20.0	14.2	37
2002	271	18.8	14.4	33.2
2003	271	18.8	14.4	33.2
2004	286	19.0	15.1	42.7
2005	282	18.8	15.0	52.1
2006	301	18.3	16.4	49.3
2007	275	16.3	16.9	59.5
2008	272	14.5	18.8	63.1
2009	222	11.8	18.8	66.7
2010	214	11.4	18.7	64.8
2011	210	10.4	20.0	67.1
2012	214	10.8	19.7	66.4
2013	164	9.0	18.1	66.5
2014	169	8.6	19.4	59.8
2015	162	8.0	20.2	58
2016	158	8.0	19.7	61.4
2017	167	7.0	23.6	71.3
2018	151	6.9	21.6	74.2
2019	141	6.5	21.5	70.2
2020	156	7.6	20.3	76.3
2021	176	8.3	21.0	73.3
2022	182	11.1	16.3	72
2023	177	9.2	19.1	64.4

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 Brethren High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$626 (5.9%)	$9,969 (94.1%)	$10,595
2020	$810 (6.8%)	$11,108 (93.2%)	$11,918
2021	$1,361 (11.2%)	$10,835 (88.8%)	$12,196
2022	$1,066 (8.4%)	$11,553 (91.6%)	$12,619
2023	$1,745 (11.9%)	$12,955 (88.1%)	$14,700

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Brethren 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 517^th of 666 High schools	Ranks 301^st of 735 High schools	36.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Social Studies (Brethren High School)	36.1	41.5	5.4%
11th Grade Social Studies (Kaleva Norman Dickson School District)	36.1	41.5	5.4%
11th Grade Social Studies (Michigan)	46.6	36.1	10.5%
11th Grade Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Brethren High School)	41.7	46.3	4.6%
11th Grade Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Kaleva Norman Dickson School District)	41.7	46.3	4.6%
11th Grade Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Michigan)	55.3	52.2	3.1%
11th Grade Mathematics (Brethren High School)	13.9	22	8.1%
11th Grade Mathematics (Kaleva Norman Dickson School District)	13.9	22	8.1%
11th Grade Mathematics (Michigan)	36.3	30	6.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	141	177	25.5%
African American	0	2
American Indian	4	9	125%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	9	9
Pacific Islander	2	1	50%
White	124	149	20.2%
Two or More Races	2	7	250%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	70.2%	64.4%	5.8%

Schools Near Brethren 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 6th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 7th Grade	M-Step Math 6th 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
Brethren High School	Public	9-12	4400 N High Bridge Rd	Brethren	49619	Manistee County	Kaleva Norman Dickson School District	No	No	No	No	(231) 477-5353	177	9	19.1	64.4%	149 (84.2%)	2 (1.1%)	9 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (5.1%)	1 (0.6%)	7 (4.0%)	47.6	357^th of 743 public high schools	52.0%		55.8	301^st of 735 public high schools	59.0%	56			43.8	12.5						40.6		43.8	$14,700	$1,745	$12,955
Bear Lake High School	Public	7-12	7748 Cody St	Bear Lake	49614	Manistee County	Bear Lake Schools	No	No	No	No	(231) 864-3133	127	6	20.8	67.7%	102 (80.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (17.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23.4	572^nd of 743 public high schools	23.0%		89.1	58^th of 735 public high schools	92.1%	514	46.2	15.4				40.9		50.0	29.6	20.0	22.2	26.7	$13,420	$1,150	$12,270
Oaks Correctional Facility	Public	9-12	1500 Caberfae Hwy	Manistee	49660	Manistee County	Michigan Department of Corrections	No	No	No	No	(231) 723-8272	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Casman Alternative Academy	Public, Magnet, Charter	7-12	225 9th St	Manistee	49660	Manistee County	Casman Alternative Academy	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	(231) 723-4981	63	6	10.9	98.4%	55 (87.3%)	3 (4.8%)	3 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.6%)								(n/a)													$11,508	$1,351	$10,157
Manistee Middle High School	Public	6-12	525 12th St	Manistee	49660	Manistee County	Manistee Area Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(231) 723-2547	687	35	19.6	50.2%	586 (85.3%)	14 (2.0%)	32 (4.7%)	8 (1.2%)	21 (3.1%)	4 (0.6%)	22 (3.2%)	45.6	372^nd of 743 public high schools	49.9%		69.8	182^nd of 735 public high schools	75.2%	190	56.0	31.9	45.6	22.3	45.6	48.6	46.5	52.8	36.0	35.7	33.7	35.0	$15,002	$1,063	$13,939
Mesick Consolidated JrSr High School	Public	6-12	581 S Clark St	Mesick	49668	Wexford County	Mesick Consolidated Schools	No	No	No	No	(231) 885-1201	301	19	16.0	70.1%	276 (91.7%)	3 (1.0%)	8 (2.7%)	2 (0.7%)	7 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.7%)	30.1	511^th of 743 public high schools	31.2%		36.5	462^nd of 735 public high schools	37.1%	49	69.4	13.9	27.3		23.8	12.9	23.8	9.7	47.2	30.3	25.0	30.3	$14,793	$2,873	$11,919

Brethren High School

Brethren High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Kaleva Norman Dickson School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Brethren High School

Rank History for all students at Brethren High School

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

Rank History for Female students at Brethren High School

Rank History for Male students at Brethren High School

Rank History for White students at Brethren High School

Enrollment information for Brethren High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Brethren High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Brethren High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Brethren High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Brethren High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Brethren High School