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Congress Elementary

Q: Is Congress Elementary a good school?

Congress Elementary ranks 656 th of 1488 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

656^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,488 Michigan Elementary Schools

Better than 56% of Michigan elementary schools

Summary

Congress Elementary is a public elementary school in Grand Rapids Public Schools serving 182 students in grades PK-5. The school has shown steady improvement in its academic performance over the years, earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger and outperforming the district and state averages in several subject areas.

Congress Elementary's academic performance has been consistently higher than the Grand Rapids Public Schools district and the state of Michigan in subjects like 5th grade English Language Arts, Math, and Science. The school has also demonstrated strong performance among its African American and White student subgroups, ranking highly compared to other Michigan elementary schools. However, the school's performance for students of low socioeconomic status has been relatively lower, indicating a need to address equity and opportunity gaps.

Despite the school's academic progress, Congress Elementary faces challenges related to high rates of chronic absenteeism, which have ranged from 29.5% to 42.0% over the past few years. Additionally, while the school has a relatively high per-student spending and a favorable student-teacher ratio, its resource allocation and utilization may need to be re-evaluated to better support student learning, particularly for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

237

Students ?

20.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,859

Per pupil spending ?

62.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

940 Baldwin St SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49506-1429

(616) 819-2201

District: Grand Rapids Public Schools

Students who attend Congress Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Alger Middle School
	Blandford School
	Center for Economicology
	John Ball Park Zoo School
High:	City High Middle School
	Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy
	Innovation Central High
	Ottawa Hills High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

39.7%

African American:

28.3%

Hispanic:

25.3%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

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At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 76th percentile in 2021 → 56th in 2025

Strengths

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Grand Rapids Public Schools

✓Above the Michigan median (56th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped from its 76th-percentile peak (2021) to 56th (2025)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school40%

District avg19%

Michigan avg39%

656^th of 1,488

Michigan public elementary schools ?

Top 44%▲ up 36 pts since 2015

From bottom 20% (2015) to top 44% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Michigan Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 21Elementary Schools in the Grand Rapids Public Schools

462^nd of 613Grand Rapids Public Schools among Michigan districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	54.4	656 of 1488	55.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	52.1	679 of 1486	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	58.7	567 of 1470	61.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	61.5	458 of 1344	65.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	70.3	272 of 1153	76.4%	★★★★☆
2019	27.0	1024 of 1408	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	30.9	1068 of 1448	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	22.1	1131 of 1466	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	28.8	1128 of 1548	27.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	22.0	1262 of 1580	20.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	31.3	1141 of 1533	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	22.6	1283 of 1563	17.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	11.5	1458 of 1566	6.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	11.4	1463 of 1552	5.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	7.1	1506 of 1552	3.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	23.6	1388 of 1589	12.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	18.0	1431 of 1577	9.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	5.6	1532 of 1565	2.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	2.6	1532 of 1545	0.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	73.0	55 of 369	85.1%	★★★★☆
2018	42.1	253 of 475	46.7%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	59.8	481 of 1338	64.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	53.7	561 of 1342	58.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	64.4	396 of 1321	70.0%	★★★★☆
2022	48.8	539 of 1106	51.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	24.8	1112 of 1443	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2018	50.0	94 of 222	57.7%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	41.4	777 of 1346	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	43.9	739 of 1381	46.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	30.8	945 of 1350	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	40.0	646 of 1099	41.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	36.6	950 of 1397	32.0%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2025	51.0	635 of 1366	53.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	66.8	399 of 1347	70.4%	★★★★☆
2023	53.4	582 of 1334	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	38.2	937 of 1446	35.2%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Michigan percentile	Rating
2023	89.1	81 of 1198	93.2%	★★★★★

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

White (2023)93rd percentile+32 vs school

African American (2025)85th percentile+29 vs school

Female (2025)64th percentile+8 vs school

Hispanic (2018)58th percentile+31 vs school

Male (2025)54th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)42nd percentile-14 vs school

By subject vs Michigan (2024-2025) ?

Science60%+20 vs state

Social Studies42%+12 vs state

English Language Arts41%~ state avg

Math32%-7 vs state

★

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Schools Near Congress Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				PSAT English Language Arts (2025)	PSAT Mathematics (2025)	M-Step English Language Arts (2025)					M-Step Math (2025)				M-Step Science (2025)		M-Step Social Studies (2025)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSAT English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSAT Mathematics 8th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 3rd Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 4th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 5th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 6th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 7th Grade	M-Step Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th Grade	M-Step Math 6th Grade	M-Step Science 5th Grade	M-Step Science 8th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Congress Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	940 Baldwin St SE	Grand Rapids	49506	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2201	237	11	20.9	62.9%	94 (39.7%)	67 (28.3%)	60 (25.3%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (5.9%)	54.4	656^th of 1488 public elementary schools	55.9%		52.1	679^th of 1486 public elementary schools	54.3%	23			25.8	33.3	60.0			25.8	21.2	45.0		60.0		41.5		$15,859	$1,847	$14,012
William C Abney Academy Elementary	Public, Magnet, Charter	K-6	1435 Fulton St E	Grand Rapids	49503	Kent County	William C. Abney Academy	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	(616) 454-5541	273	20	14.0	100.0%	2 (0.7%)	244 (89.4%)	14 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	12 (4.4%)	12.1	1318^th of 1488 public elementary schools	11.4%					(n/a)			12.8		21.7							21.7				$16,374	$3,623	$12,750
Martin Luther King Leadership Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	645 Logan St SE	Grand Rapids	49503	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2600	299	16	18.4	92.3%	14 (4.7%)	216 (72.2%)	51 (17.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (6.0%)	8.2	1392^nd of 1488 public elementary schools	6.5%					(n/a)	46.2		12.5		18.4			12.5		10.5		7.7				$19,053	$2,965	$16,087
Campus Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	710 Benjamin Ave SE	Grand Rapids	49506	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2535	210	14	15.5	92.4%	16 (7.6%)	133 (63.3%)	44 (21.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (7.6%)	5.3	1462^nd of 1488 public elementary schools	1.7%					(n/a)				9.3	10.8				8.9							$20,278	$2,571	$17,707
Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center	Public, Charter	K-5	409 Lafayette Ave SE	Grand Rapids	49503	Kent County	Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center	Yes	No	No	Yes	(616) 459-0330	287	17	16.9	29.3%	190 (66.2%)	35 (12.2%)	38 (13.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (7.7%)	90.6	113^th of 1488 public elementary schools	92.4%		84.3	202^nd of 1486 public elementary schools	86.4%	89			68.0	66.7	70.7			66.0	58.7	61.0		68.3		53.7		$12,794	$458	$12,336
Gerald R Ford Academic Center	Public	PK, KG-8	851 Madison Ave SE	Grand Rapids	49507	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2640	213	13	16.1	85.4%	2 (0.9%)	109 (51.2%)	95 (44.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.3%)	19.8	1164^th of 1488 public elementary schools	21.8%		27	1068^th of 1486 public elementary schools	28.1%	96	44.0	16.0	25.0	29.0	16.0	21.7		21.9	29.0			16.0	24.0		48.0	$19,106	$2,985	$16,121
Gerald Dawkins Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	1050 Fisk St SE	Grand Rapids	49507	Kent County	Gerald Dawkins Academy	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(517) 281-8626	152	13	11.6	96.7%	1 (0.7%)	135 (88.8%)	10 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.9%)	18.4	1189^th of 1488 public elementary schools	20.1%					(n/a)			25.0	33.3				14.3	14.3							$20,430	$6,061	$14,369
Coit Creative Arts Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	617 Coit Ave NE	Grand Rapids	49503	Kent County	Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(616) 819-2390	246	18	13.8	71.5%	87 (35.4%)	73 (29.7%)	50 (20.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (13.4%)	46.2	773^rd of 1488 public elementary schools	48.1%		38.2	881^st of 1486 public elementary schools	40.7%	108			48.6	50.0	34.3			44.4	36.8	8.6		42.9		22.9		$21,410	$2,438	$18,971
Wealthy School	Public	K-5	1961 Lake Dr SE	Grand Rapids	49506	Kent County	East Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(616) 235-7550	462	25	18.5	6.9%	384 (83.1%)	17 (3.7%)	19 (4.1%)	5 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (8.0%)	97.6	18^th of 1488 public elementary schools	98.8%		91.7	84^th of 1486 public elementary schools	94.3%	66			89.3	76.9	81.9			85.3	71.8	67.5		78.3		77.1		$13,329	$186	$13,143
River City Scholars Charter Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	944 Evergreen St SE	Grand Rapids	49507	Kent County	River City Scholars Charter Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(616) 248-3390	286	25	11.4	95.8%	12 (4.2%)	209 (73.1%)	21 (7.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (14.3%)	21.4	1135^th of 1488 public elementary schools	23.7%		15	1249^th of 1486 public elementary schools	15.9%	114	34.6		18.8	15.2	41.4	22.9	15.8	25.0	9.1	17.2	20.0	27.6	14.3	17.2	22.2	$21,257	$2,113	$19,145

Frequently Asked Questions about Congress Elementary

What schools do graduates of Congress Elementary attend?

Students who attend Congress Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Alger Middle School
Middle : Blandford School
Middle : Center for Economicology
Middle : John Ball Park Zoo School
High : City High Middle School
High : Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy
High : Innovation Central High
High : Ottawa Hills High School

How many students attend Congress Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 237 students attended Congress Elementary.

Is Congress Elementary a good school?

Congress Elementary ranks 656^th of 1488 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Congress Elementary?

Students at Congress Elementary are 40% White, 28% African American, 25% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races.

What district is Congress Elementary in?

Grand Rapids Public Schools

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Michigan Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.