Career Connections Academy

Summary:

Career Connections Academy is a public high school located in Wayland, Michigan, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of just 40 students. As part of the Wayland Union Schools district, which is ranked 214 out of 606 districts in Michigan, Career Connections Academy has consistently struggled to meet the academic and developmental needs of its small student population.

The school's performance metrics paint a concerning picture, with Career Connections Academy ranking in the bottom 20% of Michigan high schools over the past five years and receiving a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of this period. The school's four-year graduation rate has fluctuated between 57.6% and 76.4%, significantly lower than the nearby Wayland High School (96.0%) and Byron Center High School (94.7%). Additionally, Career Connections Academy has experienced high dropout rates, ranging from 4.5% to 23.0%, and a very high chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 48.0% to 67.1%, which are much higher than the nearby high-performing schools.

The challenges faced by Career Connections Academy appear to be multifaceted, with the school serving a population with significant socioeconomic and educational challenges, as evidenced by the high rates of free and reduced-price lunch recipients. While the school's per-student spending is relatively high, the resources do not seem to be effectively utilized or targeted to address the specific needs of the student population. Addressing these underlying factors and implementing targeted interventions will be crucial in improving the school's overall performance and ensuring that its students receive a high-quality education.

Detail:

Public 9-12

870 E Superior St
Wayland, MI 49348-9141

(269) 792-2254

District: Wayland Union Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,360

Student/teacher ratio: 2.4

Number of students: 52

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.6%

African American:

7.7%

Hispanic:

5.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 65.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Career Connections Academy is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 20.68. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Career Connections Academy 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 (84.6%), African American (7.7%), Hispanic (5.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 65.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Career Connections Academy is 2.4. (See more...)

Compare Career Connections Academy employs 21.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Career Connections Academy is $16,360.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Career Connections Academy was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

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Rank History for Career Connections Academy

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Rank History for all students at Career Connections Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2015	13.46	720^th	832	13.5%
2016	6.14	770^th	852	9.6%
2017	12.15	642^nd	835	23.1%
2018	9.17	711^th	824	13.7%
2023	20.68	581^st	735	21.0%

See the entire list of Michigan High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Career Connections Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	13.38	627^th	755	17.0%
2023	30.58	447^th	614	27.2%

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

Rank History for Female students at Career Connections Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	42.79	341^st	611	44.2%

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

Rank History for Male students at Career Connections Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	6.54	648^th	707	8.3%

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

Rank History for White students at Career Connections Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	4.23	662^nd	708	6.5%
2023	21.33	531^st	647	17.9%

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 Career Connections Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2013	58	0	0	5	0	1	64
2014	73	2	0	1	1	1	78
2015	51	0	0	0	2	0	53
2016	70	1	0	1	2	1	75
2017	63	1	0	1	1	2	68
2018	56	3	0	2	1	2	64
2019	44	1	0	1	1	2	49
2020	40	1	0	1	0	3	45
2021	38	1	0	1	0	4	44
2022	27	1	0	3	0	4	35
2023	33	2	1	2	0	2	40
2024	44	4	0	3	0	1	52

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 Career Connections Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	64	n/a	n/a	75
2014	78	3.0	26.0	67.9
2015	53	3.0	17.6	64.2
2016	75	3.0	25.0	54.7
2017	68	2.8	24.2	63.2
2018	64	2.8	22.8	68.8
2019	49	3.0	16.3	73.5
2020	45	1.9	23.6	71.1
2021	44	0.6	73.3	61.4
2022	35	1.0	35.0	54.3
2023	40	1.0	40.0	70
2024	52	21.2	2.4	65.4

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 Career Connections Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	64	n/a	n/a	75
2014	78	3.0	26.0	67.9
2015	53	3.0	17.6	64.2
2016	75	3.0	25.0	54.7
2017	68	2.8	24.2	63.2
2018	64	2.8	22.8	68.8
2019	49	3.0	16.3	73.5
2020	45	1.9	23.6	71.1
2021	44	0.6	73.3	61.4
2022	35	1.0	35.0	54.3
2023	40	1.0	40.0	70
2024	52	21.2	2.4	65.4

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 Career Connections Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$503 (5.7%)	$8,360 (94.3%)	$8,863
2020	$472 (7.1%)	$6,169 (92.9%)	$6,641
2021	$908 (8.6%)	$9,623 (91.4%)	$10,531
2022	$803 (7.7%)	$9,615 (92.3%)	$10,418
2023	$5,458 (33.4%)	$10,902 (66.6%)	$16,360

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Career Connections Academy

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	49	40	18.4%
African American	1	2	100%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	1	2	100%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	44	33	25%
Two or More Races	2	2
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	73.5%	70%	3.5%

Schools Near Career Connections Academy

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
Career Connections Academy	Public	9-12	870 E Superior St	Wayland	49348	Allegan County	Wayland Union Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 792-2254	52	21	2.4	65.4%	44 (84.6%)	4 (7.7%)	3 (5.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.9%)								(n/a)													$16,360	$5,458	$10,902
Wayland High School	Public	9-12	870 E Superior St	Wayland	49348	Allegan County	Wayland Union Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 792-2254	814	41	19.8	35.4%	716 (88.0%)	10 (1.2%)	46 (5.7%)	3 (0.4%)	8 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (3.8%)	59.5	269^th of 743 public high schools	63.8%		63.3	230^th of 735 public high schools	68.7%	39			51.4	33.7						32.4		44.5	$14,453	$1,318	$13,135
Hopkins High School	Public	9-12	333 S Clark St	Hopkins	49328	Allegan County	Hopkins Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 793-7616	490	27	18.2	27.3%	443 (90.4%)	3 (0.6%)	22 (4.5%)	2 (0.4%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (3.3%)	39.8	422^nd of 743 public high schools	43.2%		67	202^nd of 735 public high schools	72.5%	220			51.2	25.6						28.9		21.5	$13,242	$716	$12,526
Thornapple Kellogg High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	3885 Bender Rd	Middleville	49333	Barry County	Thornapple Kellogg School District	No	Yes	No	No	(269) 795-3394	990	51	19.5	34.8%	889 (89.8%)	10 (1.0%)	56 (5.7%)	8 (0.8%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	23 (2.3%)	70.2	172^nd of 743 public high schools	76.9%		72.6	169^th of 735 public high schools	77.0%	3			55.8	38.7						46.6		40.4	$14,320	$670	$13,650
Martin High School	Public	6-12	1556 Chalmers	Martin	49070	Allegan County	Martin Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(269) 442-0400	328	19	16.9	52.4%	272 (82.9%)	3 (0.9%)	42 (12.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.0%)	42.7	404^th of 743 public high schools	45.6%		58.1	283^rd of 735 public high schools	61.5%	121	76.1	23.9	40.0	12.0	19.6	32.6	15.7	27.9	60.9	34.0	37.0	46.0	$12,910	$1,194	$11,716
Byron Center High School	Public	9-12	8500 Burlingame Ave SW	Byron Center	49315	Kent County	Byron Center Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 878-6600	1,363	63	21.5	22.7%	1,089 (79.9%)	14 (1.0%)	127 (9.3%)	52 (3.8%)	2 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	79 (5.8%)	95.6	24^th of 743 public high schools	96.8%		96.8	17^th of 735 public high schools	97.7%	7			76.6	62.6						57.3		70.1	$14,568	$1,036	$13,532
Caledonia High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	9050 Kraft Ave SE	Caledonia	49316	Kent County	Caledonia Community Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(616) 891-8129	1,427	76	18.8	18.3%	1,175 (82.3%)	23 (1.6%)	97 (6.8%)	41 (2.9%)	2 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	87 (6.1%)	79.1	126^th of 743 public high schools	83.0%		77.9	131^st of 735 public high schools	82.2%	5			64.4	41.6						50.8		44.4	$14,282	$1,271	$13,011
East Kentwood High School	Public	10-12	6230 Kalamazoo Ave SE	Grand Rapids	49508	Kent County	Kentwood Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 698-6700	2,087	107	19.5	67.2%	541 (25.9%)	716 (34.3%)	388 (18.6%)	270 (12.9%)	6 (0.3%)	1 (0.0%)	165 (7.9%)	45.9	371^st of 743 public high schools	50.1%		47.2	371^st of 735 public high schools	49.5%				47.4	23.9						31.2		36.6	$16,410	$1,770	$14,640
Crossroads Alternative High School	Public	6-12	28 60th St SE	Grand Rapids	49548	Kent County	Kentwood Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 261-6166	189	13	14.5	73.5%	44 (23.3%)	82 (43.4%)	41 (21.7%)	7 (3.7%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (6.9%)								(n/a)												10.8	$16,838	$1,149	$15,689
Outlook Academy Youth Home Campus	Public, Charter	5-12	2243 33rd St	Allegan	49010	Allegan County	Outlook Academy	Yes	No	No	No	(269) 512-7880	15	2	6.3	80.0%	12 (80.0%)	1 (6.7%)	2 (13.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)													$18,788	$5,801	$12,987

Frequently Asked Questions about Career Connections Academy

What district is Career Connections Academy in?

Wayland Union Schools

What is the racial makeup of Career Connections Academy?

Students at Career Connections Academy are 85% White, 8% African American, 6% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

How many students attend Career Connections Academy?

In the 2023-24 school year, 52 students attended Career Connections Academy.

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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.