Best Public Schools in Detroit, MI

The city of Detroit, Michigan is home to 184 public schools, including 115 elementary schools, 12 middle schools, 42 high schools, and 15 alternative schools. The schools in this district serve a diverse student population and demonstrate a wide range of academic performance, with some standout schools as well as many struggling schools.

A few schools stand out as high-performing, including Cass Technical High School, which ranks 263 out of 735 Michigan high schools and has a 98.4% four-year graduation rate, as well as Renaissance High School, which ranks 195 out of 735 and has a 95.4% graduation rate. Additionally, Pembroke Academy and Bates Academy are exceptional elementary/middle schools, ranking 127 and 267 out of 1,470 Michigan elementary schools respectively.

However, the data also reveals concerning trends across the Detroit school system, including extremely high chronic absenteeism rates, low graduation rates at many schools, and widespread underperformance on standardized tests compared to state averages. The wide gap in outcomes between the highest and lowest-performing schools, as well as the correlation between student demographics and academic achievement, suggest the need to address systemic inequities and resource disparities across the Detroit Public Schools Community District.