Detention Center

Detention Center, a minimally staffed K-12 campus in ESSEXVILLE, Michigan, run under Bay-Arenac ISD, educates 11 students, covering grades 4 through 12. That puts it 96% leaner than the typical public school in Michigan, which averages around 281 students.

Across the 3 schools in Bay-Arenac ISD (147 students total), Detention Center accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

On the student-mix side, Detention Center records that White students make up the majority at 64%. Other groups include 27% Black, 9% Hispanic. That is visibly less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 91%.

In terms of school funding signals, Detention Center logs 2 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 5.5:1. The state averages around 17.3:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. An estimated 73% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. That share is noticeably above Bay County's rate of about 55%.

Around the school, ACS estimates for Bay County put median household income runs about $61,763, 22% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 10%. Across Bay County's 34 public schools (combined enrollment of about 12,525 students), Detention Center is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Verellen Elementary School, around 0.5 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Detention Center.

The school occupies a commuter-belt site.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Detention Center has rose 22%, going from 9 students in 2018 to 11 in 2025. Black enrollment moved from 22% to 27% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio narrowed from 9.0:1 in 2018 to 5.5:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, recent activity here tends to focus on classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Members of the school community can share what they know.