Enrollment
1,091
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Alpena, MI
Alpena High School
Federal NCES profile for Alpena High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 260273003984
👥 S:T ratio 13
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 1
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Alpena High School earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Michigan schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Michigan.
- #3 of 3
- schools in Alpena · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.8:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 44.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Alpena High School has class sizes larger than 88% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Alpena High School ranks #3 of 3 schools in Alpena, MI.
School address
District: Alpena Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 260273003984 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
50.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.8:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.1%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Alpena High School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Alpena High School
Alpena High School is a large combined-grade school in Alpena, Michigan, enrolling 1,091 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.8:1 is larger than about 88% of Michigan schools and 25% above the 17.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 44.1% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Michigan, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,091 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 3,375 Michigan schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 159 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #146, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (92% of enrollment) (diversity index 15/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Alpena Public Schools also operates Thunder Bay Junior High School (796 students) and Besser Elementary School (470 students) alongside Alpena High School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Alpena High School compares
Alpena High School on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.8:1 | ▲ 25% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.1% | ▼ 19% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,091 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.8:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,091
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.8:1
students per teacher
- 25% above state mean
Top 88% in Michigan - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
39.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$12,020
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $13,507
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.2 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 149 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 92.1%
Two or More 3.6%
Hispanic or Latino 3.2%
African American 0.5%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 92.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 14.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 14.9, Alpena High School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 7
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Alpena Public Schools, which includes Alpena High School.
$12,020
Per student
-11%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.2%
State 59.7%
Federal 13.1%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Alpena High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thunder Bay Junior High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Besser Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ella M White Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Wilson Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sanborn Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Alpena High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 796
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 470
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 440
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 220
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 201
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Michigan, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,091 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Alpena High School's federal record.
- Compare Alpena High School against another school. Compare schools
- Alpena Public Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Alpena High School
How many students attend Alpena High School?
Alpena High School has 1,091 students enrolled. It is a public school in Alpena, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Alpena High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Alpena High School is 21.8:1, which is 25% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 39% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Alpena High School?
44.1% of students at Alpena High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Alpena High School?
The largest demographic group at Alpena High School is White at 92.1% of enrollment, in Alpena, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Alpena High School?
Alpena High School has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Alpena High School rank among schools in Alpena?
By Resource Investment Index, Alpena High School ranks #3 of 3 schools in Alpena, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Alpena on the city page.
Is Alpena High School a good school?
Alpena High School earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Michigan schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Michigan. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Alpena Public Schools?
Besides Alpena High School, Alpena Public Schools also operates Thunder Bay Junior High School (796 students), Besser Elementary School (470 students), and Ella M White Elementary (440 students). See the Alpena Public Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.