Bay City Western High School

Summary:

Bay City Western High School is a public high school located in Auburn, Michigan, serving 1,102 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Bay City School District, which is ranked 360 out of 610 districts in Michigan and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Bay City Western High School stands out for its consistently high four-year graduation rates, ranging from 90.1% to 95.7% over the past five years, outperforming the state average. The school also has relatively low dropout rates, ranging from 0.7% to 3.3% over the same period, better than the state average. Academically, students at Bay City Western High School perform better than the district and state averages in several key test areas, including SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, where they have consistently scored above 50% proficiency.

However, the school faces some challenges, including a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 10.4% in 2019-2020 to 31.6% in 2021-2022, which is higher than the state average. Additionally, the school has a relatively high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 29.04% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023. When compared to nearby high-performing schools, such as HH Dow High School and Freeland Middle SchoolHigh School, Bay City Western High School's academic outcomes suggest room for improvement.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 500 W Midland Rd
       Auburn, MI  48611-9300


(989) 662-4481

District: Bay City School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
270th of 743 Michigan High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,118 Help


Feeder schools for Bay City Western High School:

Elementary:    Auburn Elementary School
    Mackensen Elementary School
    McAlearSawden Elementary School
Middle:    Western Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  22.8 Help
Number of students:  1,033

Racial breakdown:

White:
90.7%
Hispanic:
4.4%
Two or more races:
3.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  32.9% Help


 See top rated Michigan high schools

 Compare Bay City Western High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Bay City Western High School ranks better than 63.7% of high schools in Michigan. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 59.41. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Bay City Western 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 Bay City Western High School has the largest high school student body size in the Bay City School District. Racial makeup is: White (90.7%), Hispanic (4.4%), two or more races (3.2%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 32.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Bay City School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bay City Western High School is 22.8. 2 high schools in the Bay City School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Bay City Western High School employs 45.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bay City Western High School is $14,118. 2 high schools in the Bay City School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Bay City Western High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Bay City Western High School 270th of 743 Michigan public high schools. (See Bay City Western 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:


Bay City School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Bay City School District 360th of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)


What do you think?

Your rating for Bay City Western High School?

Rank History for Bay City Western High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Bay City Western High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 67.76 258th 705 63.4%
2007 74.82 183rd 767 76.1%
2008 75.09 202nd 750 73.1%
2009 73.06 223rd 754 70.4%
2010 76.61 167th 765 78.2%
2011 77.65 174th 784 77.8%
2012 79.82 135th 773 82.5%
2013 78.74 141st 805 82.5%
2014 70.91 213th 799 73.3%
2015 72.42 223rd 832 73.2%
2016 83.60 106th 852 87.6%
2017 73.51 176th 835 78.9%
2018 72.95 197th 824 76.1%
2019 70.65 175th 666 73.7%
2021 46.98 277th 561 50.6%
2022 67.47 176th 531 66.9%
2023 58.99 276th 735 62.4%
2024 59.41 270th 743 63.7%
See the entire list of Michigan High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Bay City Western High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.30 259th 315 17.8%
See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Bay City Western High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.55 187th 755 75.2%
2019 46.64 289th 532 45.7%
2021 44.82 233rd 417 44.1%
2022 26.19 316th 369 14.4%
2023 46.67 321st 614 47.7%
2024 41.81 359th 654 45.1%
See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Bay City Western High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.32 246th 710 65.4%
2019 69.33 146th 554 73.6%
2021 44.09 248th 462 46.3%
2022 65.78 147th 416 64.7%
2023 53.65 266th 611 56.5%
2024 48.35 297th 619 52.0%
See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Bay City Western High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.85 152nd 707 78.5%
2019 62.68 196th 543 63.9%
2021 40.12 282nd 472 40.3%
2022 59.43 181st 440 58.9%
2023 54.27 254th 611 58.4%
2024 60.11 224th 633 64.6%
See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Bay City Western High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 63.78 226th 708 68.1%
2019 61.30 206th 582 64.6%
2021 38.65 312th 516 39.5%
2022 63.13 183rd 492 62.8%
2023 49.00 303rd 647 53.2%
2024 52.95 267th 638 58.2%
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.

Bay City Western High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a student on FaceBook
Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Open Quote I attended Western High School in the late 90's. I was blessed to have studied under many excellent teachers who I still remember in detail 10 - 12 years later. They were engaging, passionate, and they really cared about their students. There are many opportunities for students to get involved in extracurricular activities, both athletic and academic. I would without hesitation send my children there. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Bay City Western High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1196 0 7 14 35 n/a n/a 0 1252
1989 1155 0 9 12 29 n/a n/a 0 1205
1990 1109 0 8 10 22 n/a n/a 0 1149
1991 1440 2 13 28 24 n/a n/a 0 1507
1992 1402 2 13 31 24 n/a n/a 0 1472
1993 1403 3 7 32 28 n/a n/a 0 1473
1994 1396 2 3 38 30 n/a n/a 0 1469
1995 1362 0 6 47 23 n/a n/a 0 1438
1996 1362 0 6 47 23 n/a n/a 0 1438
1997 1393 3 10 41 18 n/a n/a 0 1465
1998 1373 1 7 37 18 n/a n/a 0 1436
1999 1376 2 4 28 17 n/a n/a 0 1427
2000 1384 5 7 23 10 n/a n/a 0 1429
2001 1367 7 5 24 11 n/a n/a 0 1414
2002 1368 13 8 34 8 n/a n/a 0 1431
2003 1368 13 8 34 8 n/a n/a 0 1431
2004 1367 13 11 33 8 n/a n/a 0 1432
2005 1366 13 8 25 4 n/a n/a 1 1417
2006 1371 17 11 28 5 n/a n/a 1 1433
2007 1338 12 14 20 6 n/a n/a 0 1390
2008 1317 12 13 18 5 n/a n/a 0 1365
2009 1306 11 11 31 6 n/a n/a 1 1366
2010 1267 7 9 29 5 n/a n/a 1 1318
2011 1189 11 11 33 3 0 4 0 1251
2012 1164 12 10 41 3 0 10 0 1240
2013 1136 16 13 41 4 1 8 0 1219
2014 1158 13 9 37 3 1 12 0 1233
2015 1181 10 8 45 6 1 15 0 1266
2016 1176 6 10 36 4 0 24 0 1256
2017 1185 9 8 29 3 0 22 0 1256
2018 1156 7 7 30 1 0 20 0 1221
2019 1117 5 7 25 0 0 10 0 1164
2020 1087 6 7 34 2 0 17 0 1153
2021 1089 8 5 43 3 0 25 0 1173
2022 1075 7 5 47 3 1 34 0 1172
2023 996 8 10 47 3 0 38 0 1102
2024 937 6 12 45 0 0 33 0 1033

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 Bay City Western High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1252 n/a n/a n/a
1989 1205 n/a n/a 5.4
1990 1149 62.0 18.5 6.6
1991 1507 n/a n/a n/a
1992 1472 n/a n/a n/a
1993 1473 n/a 0.0 6.1
1994 1469 62.1 23.7 17.6
1995 1438 61.4 23.4 17.2
1996 1438 61.4 23.4 17.2
1997 1465 60.0 24.4 13.9
1998 1436 62.0 23.2 15.5
1999 1427 62.0 23.0 14.9
2000 1429 58.0 24.6 19.2
2001 1414 59.2 23.9 17.8
2002 1431 68.1 21.0 23.3
2003 1431 68.1 21.0 23.3
2004 1432 64.6 22.2 25.1
2005 1417 61.6 23.0 28.3
2006 1433 60.0 23.9 29.3
2007 1390 59.2 23.5 15.7
2008 1365 55.2 24.7 15.2
2009 1366 57.4 23.8 22.6
2010 1318 59.2 22.2 23.5
2011 1251 55.2 22.6 22.2
2012 1240 51.9 23.8 24.7
2013 1219 51.0 23.9 28.3
2014 1233 52.0 23.6 27.3
2015 1266 57.0 22.2 18.8
2016 1256 58.0 21.6 23.2
2017 1256 57.3 21.9 26.1
2018 1221 58.4 20.9 26.2
2019 1164 53.3 21.8 24.3
2020 1153 49.1 23.4 23.6
2021 1173 50.1 23.3 24.5
2022 1172 51.4 22.8 25.2
2023 1102 48.6 22.6 29
2024 1033 45.2 22.8 32.9

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 Bay City Western High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1252 n/a n/a n/a
1989 1205 n/a n/a 5.4
1990 1149 62.0 18.5 6.6
1991 1507 n/a n/a n/a
1992 1472 n/a n/a n/a
1993 1473 n/a 0.0 6.1
1994 1469 62.1 23.7 17.6
1995 1438 61.4 23.4 17.2
1996 1438 61.4 23.4 17.2
1997 1465 60.0 24.4 13.9
1998 1436 62.0 23.2 15.5
1999 1427 62.0 23.0 14.9
2000 1429 58.0 24.6 19.2
2001 1414 59.2 23.9 17.8
2002 1431 68.1 21.0 23.3
2003 1431 68.1 21.0 23.3
2004 1432 64.6 22.2 25.1
2005 1417 61.6 23.0 28.3
2006 1433 60.0 23.9 29.3
2007 1390 59.2 23.5 15.7
2008 1365 55.2 24.7 15.2
2009 1366 57.4 23.8 22.6
2010 1318 59.2 22.2 23.5
2011 1251 55.2 22.6 22.2
2012 1240 51.9 23.8 24.7
2013 1219 51.0 23.9 28.3
2014 1233 52.0 23.6 27.3
2015 1266 57.0 22.2 18.8
2016 1256 58.0 21.6 23.2
2017 1256 57.3 21.9 26.1
2018 1221 58.4 20.9 26.2
2019 1164 53.3 21.8 24.3
2020 1153 49.1 23.4 23.6
2021 1173 50.1 23.3 24.5
2022 1172 51.4 22.8 25.2
2023 1102 48.6 22.6 29
2024 1033 45.2 22.8 32.9

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 Bay City Western High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $562 (5.4%) $9,891 (94.6%) $10,452
2020 $556 (5.3%) $9,903 (94.7%) $10,459
2021 $1,251 (11.2%) $9,904 (88.8%) $11,154
2022 $1,573 (12.5%) $11,051 (87.5%) $12,625
2023 $1,584 (11.2%) $12,534 (88.8%) $14,118

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Bay City Western 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 175th of 666 High schoolsRanks 276th of 735 High schools
 11.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade Social Studies (Bay City Western High School)50.436.9
 13.5%
   11th Grade Social Studies (Bay City School District)43.735
 8.7%
   11th Grade Social Studies (Michigan)46.636.1
 10.5%
11th Grade Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Bay City Western High School)67.955.4
 12.5%
   11th Grade Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Bay City School District)5651.1
 4.9%
   11th Grade Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Michigan)55.352.2
 3.1%
11th Grade Mathematics (Bay City Western High School)41.828.3
 13.5%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Bay City School District)34.123.8
 10.3%
   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 Students11641102
 5.3%
African American58
 60%
American Indian03
Asian710
 42.9%
Hispanic2547
 88%
Pacific Islander00
White1117996
 10.8%
Two or More Races1038
 280%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients24.3%29%
 4.7%


Schools Near Bay City Western High School









Frequently Asked Questions about Bay City Western High School

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,033 students attended Bay City Western High School.

Bay City Western High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Auburn Elementary School
Elementary : Mackensen Elementary School
Elementary : McAlearSawden Elementary School
Middle : Western Middle School

Students at Bay City Western High School are 91% White, 4% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Bay City Western High School ranks 270th of 743 Michigan high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.


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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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