The top reported proficiency rate is 34% in Science. The lowest is 24% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on North Central Academy Campus
North Central Academy Campus is a charter school sitting on Corey Road in Mancelona, a small village in Antrim County at the crossroads of US highways and M-88. It serves students from kindergarten through twelfth grade, making it one of the few charter options in this part of northern Michigan offering a continuous K through 12 pathway under one roof. The school is part of the Bay City Academy charter district, which operates campuses in both Bay City and Mancelona. The district brief turned up no recent parent-relevant changes, so there is little publicly reported to relay on that front.
The enrollment is small for a school spanning all thirteen grade levels, with only a handful of students per grade. This produces an intimate setting where classmates know each other well and where teachers can give individual attention, but it also means each cohort is tiny and year-to-year results can swing sharply based on just a few students. The student body is nearly entirely white, with only a small number of students identifying as Hispanic, Black, or two or more races. A very large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, reflecting the economic reality of the surrounding community. Data on special-education enrollment and English learners was not available, so those populations could not be characterized here.
Academically, the most recent state assessment results paint a mixed but generally concerning picture. English language arts is the relative bright spot. Fourth-grade ELA proficiency was solid, and eighth-grade ELA saw half of tested students reach proficiency, a genuinely encouraging result for a school this size. Third, fifth, and seventh grades showed lower proficiency in ELA. Math is weaker across the board. Third grade had about a quarter of students proficient, but in grades four through eight no students reached the proficient threshold, with the state reporting ranges that sit at the low end of the scale. Science results were more encouraging, with about three-eighths of fifth graders and roughly a third of eighth graders demonstrating proficiency. Social studies followed a similar pattern, with the eighth grade showing about a third proficient while the fifth grade landed in a low range. When placed against other districts in Antrim County, the school's overall proficiency index falls in the bottom quartile, which is a soft spot a parent may want to look into further with the school to understand what supports and interventions are in place.
No graduation rate data was available for this school, and chronic absenteeism figures were also missing. The absence of a graduation rate is worth noting for families considering the high school grades here; a parent would want to ask the school directly about completion and post-graduation outcomes.
Mancelona itself is a compact village with a downtown core along State Street where the village hall and Triangle Park sit. The town has three parks, a community library, and a seasonal rhythm built around events like the Summer Celebration Concert Series and the M88 Outdoor Market Tour. Historically an iron-works town, Mancelona lost its dominant employer decades ago and has seen a modest population decline since. Publicly reported sources describe active downtown revitalization efforts, including building renovations for retail, office, and housing use, along with waiting lists for residential and business rentals. No major new housing developments were identified, and there is no public transit system. The village maintains its own police department and public works crew. Housing values in the school's zip code sit well below both the state and national benchmarks, with a slight year-over-year decline, which makes homeownership relatively accessible here compared with much of Michigan, though incomes in the area reflect the rural, small-town economy.
What this school offers is a small, continuous K through 12 charter option in a community where the traditional public district is the main alternative. Families drawn to a close-knit, small-classroom environment and a single campus for all thirteen grades may find the format appealing. The academic results, particularly in math, suggest that families should ask pointed questions about curriculum, tutoring, and intervention supports before committing, especially for students in the upper elementary and middle grades.
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