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Mar 28, 2025

Top 10, bottom 10: Where graduation rates are highest, lowest in the Grand Rapids area - mlive.com

In West Michigan, the top 10 school buildings with the highest graduation rates all sent 98% or more of their students out the door with a diploma in four years. Drew Travis | [email protected] GRAND

In West Michigan, the top 10 school buildings with the highest graduation rates all sent 98% or more of their students out the door with a diploma in four years. Drew Travis | [email protected]

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - In the Grand Rapids area, the top 10 schools with the highest graduation rates all sent 98% or more of their students out the door with a diploma in the typical four years.

Overall, Michigan is seeing higher graduation rates, according to the Michigan Department of Education’s annual report on graduation rates.

Graduation and dropout rates are measured in four-, five- and six-year cohorts based on when students enter ninth grade and how long it takes to graduate.

Two West Michigan public high schools (among schools with 10 or more seniors) graduated 100% of their seniors on time.

That includes all 198 students from Ottawa County’s Spring Lake High School and 29 students at Grand Rapids Montessori Middle/High School.

About 54% of Kent and Ottawa County high schools (with 10-plus seniors) had a graduation rate of 90% or higher.

When including the counties’ schools of all sizes, six graduated 100% of their students.

RELATED: Top 50, bottom 50: Where graduation rates are highest, lowest in Michigan

Many of these schools, and their associated districts, saw an increase in graduation rates since 2023, shifting closer to pre-pandemic rates.

Many West Michigan schools also remain above the state four-year graduation rate average for 2024 - 82.83% of 115,097 students.

RELATED: This school district has the highest graduation rate in the Grand Rapids area

The Grand Rapids-area schools with the highest graduation rates (with 10-plus seniors), are listed below. (Due to ties, an 11th school is included)

The list does not include area alternative education programs.

Spring Lake High School - 100% graduation rate

District: Spring Lake Public Schools

County: Ottawa

Students: 198

2023 graduation rate: 99%

2020 graduation rate: 99%

Grand Rapids Montessori Middle/High School - 100%

District: Grand Rapids Public Schools

County: Kent

Students: 29

2023 graduation rate: 92%

2020 graduation rate: 93%

Allendale High School - 99%

District: Allendale Public Schools

County: Ottawa

Students: 184

2023 graduation rate: 96%

2020 graduation rate: 99%

City High/Middle School - 99%

District: Grand Rapids Public Schools

County: Kent

Students: 115

2023 graduation rate: 100%

2020 graduation rate: 100%

Comstock Park High School - 99%

District: Comstock Park Public Schools

County: Kent

Students: 92

2023 graduation rate: 95%

2020 graduation rate: 95%

Rockford High School - 98%

District: Rockford Public Schools

County: Kent

Students: 592

2023 graduation rate: 97%

2020 graduation rate: 98%

Jenison High School - 98%

District: Jenison Public Schools

County: Ottawa

Students: 366

2023 graduation rate: 98%

2020 graduation rate: 97%

Central High School - 98%

District: Forest Hills Public Schools

County: Kent

Students: 284

2023 graduation rate: 99%

2020 graduation rate: 96%

East Grand Rapids High School - 98%

District: East Grand Rapids Public Schools

County: Kent

Students: 202

2023 graduation rate: 98%

2020 graduation rate: 96%

Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy - 98%

District: Grand Rapids Public Schools

County: Kent

Students: 57

2023 graduation rate: 100%

2020 graduation rate: 100%

CA Frost Environmental Science Academy Middle High School - 98%

District: Grand Rapids Public Schools

County: Kent

Students: 51

2023 graduation rate: 95%

2020 graduation rate: 100%

Here are the Kent and Ottawa County schools with the lowest graduation rates (with 10-plus seniors).

Again, the list does not include alternative education programs or strict discipline academies in the two counties.

NexTech High School - 38%

District: Charter school

County: Kent

Students: 55

2023 graduation rate: 56%

2020 graduation rate: 51%

PrepNet Virtual Academy - 46%

District: Online charter school

County: Kent

Students: 59

2023 graduation rate: 30%

2020 graduation rate: N/A

Grand River Preparatory High School - 72%

District: Charter school

County: Kent

Students: 156

2023 graduation rate: 94%

2020 graduation rate: 87%

Wellspring Preparatory High School - 76%

District: Charter school

County: Kent

Students: 62

2023 graduation rate: 68%

2020 graduation rate: 83%

Ottawa Hills High School - 78%

District: Grand Rapids Public Schools

County: Kent

Students: 78

2023 graduation rate: 74%

2020 graduation rate: 75%

West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science - 82%

District: Charter school

County: Kent

Students: 28

2023 graduation rate: 85%

2020 graduation rate: 91%

Holland High School - 82%

District: Holland Public Schools

County: Ottawa

Students: 226

2023 graduation rate: 72%

2020 graduation rate: 89%

Innovation Central High School - 83%

District: Grand Rapids Public Schools

County: Kent

Students: 121

2023 graduation rate: 89%

2020 graduation rate: 93%

Union High School - 83%

District: Grand Rapids Public Schools

County: Kent

Students: 220

2023 graduation rate: 85%

2020 graduation rate: 89%

Wyoming High School - 85%

District: Wyoming Public Schools

County: Kent

Students: 317

2023 graduation rate: 79%

2020 graduation rate: 85%

A searchable database with graduation and dropout rate information for individual West Michigan school buildings can be found below.

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