Summary:
Mildred C. Wells Preparatory Academy is the sole school in the Mildred C. Wells Preparatory Academy district, serving grades K-8 in Benton Harbor, Michigan, with 227 students and a 16.3:1 student-teacher ratio.
This school faces significant challenges, with 100% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch and a chronic absenteeism rate of 65.2%—more than double the state average. Academic proficiency lags state averages across all subjects, with gaps ranging from about 22 points in 3rd grade math to 34.5 points in 8th grade social studies. However, there are bright spots. The most notable is 8th grade PSAT ELA proficiency at 42.1%, which is more than three times higher than 5th grade M-Step ELA (12%) and shows a strong year-over-year gain of +5.7 points. This suggests literacy skills improve significantly by middle school, possibly due to effective interventions or cohort differences. Meanwhile, 3rd grade math declined by 3.4 points, indicating math instruction may need more attention.
Despite the obstacles, the school shows a slow but positive trajectory in state rankings, improving from the 1st percentile in 2015-2016 to the 8th percentile in 2025-2026, though it still receives zero stars. The school operates as its own district, which limits access to shared resources and specialized support that larger districts can provide. For parents, the key takeaway is that while proficiency rates remain low, the 8th grade ELA results demonstrate that sustained attendance and instruction can yield meaningful gains. Addressing the chronic absenteeism crisis—where two-thirds of students miss significant school time—appears to be the most critical lever for improving outcomes across all subjects and grade levels.
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