Detroit Community Schools

The Detroit Community Schools district in Detroit, Michigan, serves 665 students across two schools—Detroit Community Schools Elementary (grades PK-8) and Detroit Community Schools High School (grades 9-12)—both located on the same campus at 12675 Burt Road. The district ranks in the bottom 1% of Michigan schools, with both schools facing extreme challenges tied to high poverty rates (over 83% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch) and chronic absenteeism that is more than double the state average.

The most striking contrast between the two schools is in student outcomes. Detroit Community Schools High School posts a remarkable 90.5% graduation rate—6.5 points above the state average—despite having a 74.4% chronic absenteeism rate and proficiency scores in the single digits on nearly every subject. For example, only 10.8% of 11th graders are proficient in SAT reading and writing, compared to 52.1% statewide. Meanwhile, Detroit Community Schools Elementary shows no such bright spot: proficiency rates range from 6% to 9% across ELA, math, and science, with gaps of 30-34 percentage points behind state averages. The elementary school's state ranking has also slipped from the 11th percentile (2016-17) to the 3rd percentile (2017-18).

For parents, the key takeaway is that while the high school keeps students enrolled and graduating, academic mastery is severely lacking—suggesting credit recovery or completion-focused pathways rather than rigorous learning. Chronic absenteeism (65.4% elementary, 74.4% high school vs. 27.9% statewide) is the systemic crisis undermining all progress. The high school does receive more funding per student ($14,243 vs. $10,663), but test scores fluctuate wildly year to year, making consistent improvement difficult to detect. Any family considering these schools should prioritize understanding attendance supports and whether the graduation rate reflects genuine preparedness for college or career.