HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) – Bridge magazine recognized West Ottawa High School as one of its 44 Academic State Champions for 2015, placing them in the top 5% of the 770 high schools in the state of Michigan. West Ottawa was the only high school in Ottawa County to receive this recognition and the only one in the region that was not a specialized program.
Last year, Bridge magazine recognized the entire district and all of its schools for performing better than expected. This year’s rankings were based on the past three year’s ACT scores. Bridge analyzes these trends while factoring in family income.
“Our students continuously rise to the challenge set by our staff. Our teaching staff focus tirelessly on meeting the needs of all students. Their collaborative efforts in raising academic standards and building a college-going culture have resulted in recognition of increased student achievement,” said Todd Tulgestke, Principal of West Ottawa High School.
In past years, rankings encompassed performance on the MEAP along with proficiency rates on the ACT and the Michigan Merit Exam. With the change to M-STEP, this year’s ratings rely exclusively on ACT proficiency over the past three years, when adjusted for income. Essentially then, Bridge’s Academic State Champions are recognized for over-achievement, rather than raw scores or proficiency rates. “
