The top reported proficiency rate is 45% in English language arts. The lowest is 12% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Hillman Community Jrsr High School
Hillman Community Junior/Senior High School is a regular public school serving grades six through twelve in the small rural village of Hillman, Michigan. It sits along the M-32 corridor in Montmorency County, with the Thunder Bay River passing nearby and the school buildings located in or close to the village center rather than on a remote campus. The enrollment is small for a combined junior-senior high, and the student body is predominantly white, with small numbers of students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on individualized education programs and English learner services was not available, so those figures are left out rather than estimated.
On state assessments, the academic picture is mixed and leans toward the weaker side in mathematics. Sixth-grade math proficiency fell in the lowest reported range, with no students reaching the proficient threshold, and seventh and eighth grades also showed low proficiency. English language arts told a different story. Seventh-grade ELA reached a moderate level of proficiency, and eighth-grade ELA was a relative bright spot, with a majority of students meeting the standard. Science and social studies, both tested in eighth grade, landed in a moderate range. Taken together, the school's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits above the midpoint relative to districts in Montmorency County. That said, the county comparison set is small, and the math results across all three middle grades are a soft spot a parent may want to look into further with the school. Trend data was not available, so it is not possible to say whether these results represent a change from prior years.
The school's state testing covers grades six through eight in this building, and no high school assessment results were included in the available data. A four-year graduation rate was also not reported, and chronic absenteeism data was missing. These gaps are common for small schools or may reflect how the state reports at the building level, so a family seeking graduation or attendance specifics should ask the district directly. No course access, staffing, discipline, or program offerings data was provided, which limits the picture of what academic pathways, extracurriculars, or support structures exist beyond the tested grades.
Hillman itself is a modest commercial and service center for the surrounding rural township. The village has grocery stores, a hardware and lumber store, a pharmacy, restaurants, and a sports shop along the main highway. Medical and senior care facilities, including Thunder Bay Community Health Services, MediLodge, and Hillman's Haven assisted living, are among the larger local employers. The population skews older, and the village has seen modest contraction rather than growth over recent census cycles. The surrounding area is lake-rich and forested, with nearby resorts, state land, Fletcher's Floodwaters, and the Alpena to Hillman Trail providing recreational access. Civic life centers on the Hillman Community Center, the library, the Brush Creek Mill, and community organizations like the Lions Club, Sportsman Club, and VFW post. Street life outside of events like the Mill River Festival is minimal. The setting is auto-oriented rural village, not a pedestrian-dense downtown.
Housing in the area is quite affordable relative to both state and national benchmarks. Home values run well below the Michigan and national medians, and the price-to-income ratio sits below the national figure. Rent data was not available. The broader economic context includes a national unemployment rate that has held steady and mortgage rates that remain elevated compared to recent years, which affects affordability even in a lower-cost market.
No district-level changes in curriculum, pedagogy, property taxes, or referendums were identified in the available research, so there is nothing to report there. The district participates in the state's MI Kids Back-on-Track program, but no district-specific initiatives were documented beyond that.
For a family considering this school, the strengths appear in the middle-grade ELA results and the school's standing relative to its small county peer set. The math results across sixth through eighth grade are the clearest area to ask about. The small size and rural setting will suit families looking for a close-knit community school, and the affordability of the housing market may appeal to those seeking a lower-cost place to live. The missing data on graduation, attendance, staffing, and programs means a family would want to supplement this picture with direct conversations with the school before making a decision.
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