Elementary Schools in Detroit Service Learning Academy

The Detroit Service Learning Academy district operates three elementary campuses serving grades PK-8 in the Detroit, Redford, and Oak Park areas, collectively educating about 1,504 students in a region where nearly all families face economic challenges.

For parents comparing schools, Redford Service Learning Academy Campus is the clear academic leader. It is the only campus to earn a 1-star rating, and its 3rd grade proficiency rates (18.8% in ELA, 20.8% in math) are roughly three to four times higher than the Detroit Service Learning Academy Campus. However, Redford's early-grade advantage fades by middle school, with 7th grade ELA dropping to 10.6%. The Detroit campus, despite being the largest (847 students) and spending the most per student ($16,803), shows the weakest results overall, with 3rd grade math proficiency at just 4.35%. Oak Park Service Learning Academy OPSLA, the smallest campus, stands out for attendance: its chronic absenteeism rate of 27.1% nearly matches the state average and is less than half the rate of its sister campuses, despite serving an equally disadvantaged population.

Key takeaways for families include a striking disconnect between spending and outcomes—the Detroit campus spends 52% more per student than OPSLA yet performs worse. Test scores also fluctuate dramatically year to year, especially at smaller campuses; OPSLA's 8th grade PSAT ELA swung from 50% to 12.5% proficiency in one year, making single-year data unreliable. While all subjects lag state averages, science and social studies scores are relatively stronger than reading and math. The district ranks in the 3rd percentile of Michigan schools, and the Detroit campus has remained in the bottom 1% for three consecutive years, though Redford shows meaningful improvement. Resource disparities of nearly $6,000 per student between campuses raise questions about equitable funding within the same charter network.