To help you in your search, here’s our list of five great schools for teachers in Michigan. We hope this helps you find the classroom that’s right for you.

1. International Academy
With three campuses and over 1,000 students, the International Academy is a top-tier public school with ample teaching opportunities. The school services high schoolers from 17 different Michigan counties and is the nation’s first all International Baccaluareate diploma public high school. Since opening in 1996, the International Academy has grown to become widely regarded as one of the best high schools in Michigan due to its track record of offering a unique combination of rigorous academics, career-centric instruction, and space for personal and creative growth. This is an excellent place for any teacher, no matter what point in their career, as they will be in the classroom with motivated, directed and aspirational students.

2. Greenhills School
The Greenhills School is an independent private institution located in Ann Arbor. Known for its excellence in mathematics and science, Greenhills was recently awarded the Intel School of Distinction Award, which recognizes the high school with the best science program in the country. This merit was no accident: The school has invested heavily in state-of-the art technologies, including two full computer labs, 10 computers dedicated solely to the study of physics, high-end microscopes and lab equipment, and — most recently — wireless laptop computers for classroom use. But that’s not all: Greenhills is proud of its offerings in the realms of art, music and theater, as well as many extracurriucular opportunities. If you are a teacher with a passion for something beyond teaching, you are likely to have the chance to involve yourself as a coach, club mentor or advisor. All this alongside an impressive 7:1 student-to-teacher ratio makes Greenhills one of the best schools in Michigan for teachers.

3. Casa Richard Academy
This award-winning tuition-free charter school in Detroit does not fit the mold of the other schools on this list. Casa Richard Academy is an all-black high school that serves the downtown Detroit area. CRA makes this list because sometimes teaching isn’t about prestige, salary or technology (although CRA has its fair share of all three); sometimes teaching is about changing lives and making a difference. This story from the Michigan Association of Public School Academics website says it all: “Tim Constant is a white teacher in the all-black Casa Richard Academy, yet he’s a leader in connecting with students and changing lives. His primary role is as high school social studies teacher, but he’s also created a dance class, two law classes and team-teaches a forensics class with a science teacher. He’s a master at making education relevant to his students, 80 percent of whom qualify for subsidized lunch and 80 persent of whom had struggled in other school settings.

In 2006, his students took first place with their newly written constitution in the American Bar Association’s national Law Day Review contest. It taught them to have ideas, speak up and take action.”

4. Cranbrook School
The Cranbrook School is one of the nation’s most prestigious and successful college-preparatory boarding schools. With a long list of academic achievements by its students and an equally impressive college acceptances track record, Cranbrook is an ideal place for teachers looking to interact with high-performing students. Cranbrook is the type of place where you will find yourself staying late with students to puzzle through a tough math problem or debate politics —  and not because you or they are required to. Like many other private schools, and particularly boarding schools, Cranbrook offers competitive salaries and is at up-to-date on educational technologies. If working at a boarding school sounds like something you would be interested in, Cranbrook is definitely the place to go.

5. Detroit Country Day School
Since its founding in 1914, Detroit Country Day School has provided a premier education to students in a wholesome, safe environment. One of the most prestigious schools for teachers, Detroit Country Day employs a large number of impressive educators, many of whom have doctorates and other advanced degrees. The school is dedicated to training a well-rounded student who excels in all all disciplines — academics, arts, athletics and extracurricular activities. With its beautiful facilities, heralded faculty and a student body dedicated to learning, DCDS is a place any teacher would hope to work at.

The National Center for Education Statistics recently released U.S. high school graduation rates for the class of 2008. The good news is that more public high school students across the country are earning their diplomas, with almost 75 percent graduating on time (compared to 72 percent in 2002).
The high school graduation rate is an important criteria of the effectiveness of a state’s education system. States with the highest high school graduation rates have obviously made a commitment to education, investing in programs and staff that help students prepare for college and beyond. A high graduation rate also indicates that citizens of the state recognize the importance of education. Young people armed with a high school diploma are better prepared to enter the workforce and have more options when it comes to choosing careers, increasing the chances that they will become productive members of society.
Although the U.S. population is densest along the East and West Coasts, the states with the highest rates of graduation are clustered in the central and northern portions of the country. These are the top five states with the highest graduation rates:

1. Wisconsin

Leading the nation with a 90.7 percent high school graduation rate, Wisconsin has ranked either first or second for the past five years. The state’s continuing success in achieving a high graduation rate can be attributed in large part to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s “Every Child a Graduate” initiative, which focuses on standards, instruction, assessment, accountability and school funding. The state also strives to ensure that the graduation rate for students with disabilities is the same as for all public school students.
Find out how to become a teacher in Wisconsin.

2. North Dakota

With an 87.4 percent high school graduation rate, the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction is now committed to improving the number of college graduates (especially in the fields of math, science and engineering). The state expects to see a 13 percent increase in well-paying jobs that require some post-secondary education and would like to see more students become qualified to step into these jobs.
Find out how to become a teacher in North Dakota.

3. Minnesota

According to Minnesota’s Parents United for Public Schools, an advocacy group, the state’s 87.4 percent graduation rate is due to raised expectations for students. The state has established rigorous course requirements and academic standards, and is working to narrow the achievement gap between demographic groups of students.
Find out how to become a teacher in Minnesota.

4. Iowa

The Iowa Department of Education attributes its 85.7 percent graduation rate to several programs that target both students and school district funding. Iowa’s Rapidly Improving Schools (IRIS) programs is a multi-year initiative that targets high school reform and reinvention. The Iowa High School Project, a collaboration between the Iowa Department of Education and the International Center for Leadership in Education, provides support to struggling high school learners. Iowa has also provided a funding mechanism that helps school districts provide additional services for potential high school dropouts.
Find out how to become a teacher in Iowa.

5. New Jersey

While the State of New Jersey is proud of its 85.3 percent graduation rate, Governor Chris Christie has challenged the public school system to increase accountability, reward highly effective teachers and empower parents. The Governor’s Reform Agenda seeks to expand professional opportunities for teachers. The Excellent Educators for New Jersey initiative is a pilot program designed to improve public schools by using evaluations to recognize and reward the state’s best teachers.
Find out how to become a teacher in New Jersey.

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