Richfield Public School Academy

Richfield Public School Academy is a small, two-school charter district in Flint, Michigan, serving roughly 634 students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade, with no high school in the district. The district ranks in the bottom 1% of Michigan districts, and both campuses serve a predominantly low-income population, with about 95% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

The main campus, Richfield Public School Academy (grades 3-8, 418 students), has seen a steady decline in its state ranking over three years, falling from the 12th percentile to the 4th percentile. Academic proficiency is critically low across all subjects; for example, only 6.7% of 6th graders and 6.3% of 7th graders are proficient in English Language Arts, compared to state averages near 38%. Math scores are even more concerning, with 4th grade proficiency at just 5.8% versus the state’s 39.4%. By 8th grade, PSAT math proficiency is a mere 6.78%, signaling major hurdles for students entering high school. In contrast, the Richfield Public School Academy Early Learning Center PK2 (216 students, grades PK-2) has no test data but offers a better student-teacher ratio (14.2:1 vs. 20.2:1) and slightly lower per-student spending ($13,098 vs. $15,340).

Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide crisis, affecting 44.8% of main campus students and a staggering 53.3% at the Early Learning Center—nearly double the state average of 27.9%. This early absence pattern likely fuels a widening achievement gap: 3rd graders reach 35% of the state ELA average, but by 7th grade that figure drops to just 16%. Despite spending $15,340 per student at the main campus—above many Michigan districts—outcomes remain extremely low, suggesting that poverty and absenteeism require interventions beyond typical school funding. The Early Learning Center, with its smaller classes, represents the best chance to break this cycle, but its high absenteeism threatens that opportunity. With no high school, the district loses students after 8th grade, limiting long-term accountability and community investment.