Summary:
Detroit Premier Academy is a single K-8 charter school in Detroit serving 706 students, where 90.79% qualify for free/reduced lunch and chronic absenteeism runs at 64.3%—more than double the state rate. The school operates within the Detroit Premier Academy district and currently ranks in the 9th percentile statewide (0 stars), down from the 14th percentile the prior year.
Academically, the school struggles most in math and early-grade subjects. In 2025-2026, 4th grade math proficiency was just 7.1% (state: 39.4%) and 5th grade math was 8.3% (state: 32.2%), leaving gaps of 30+ points. Science and social studies are also weak, with 5th grade social studies at only 3.61% proficiency versus 27.5% statewide. English Language Arts fares slightly better but still trails by roughly 20 points in grades 3-7. The strongest relative performance appears in 8th grade: PSAT ELA reached 53.1% (state: 64.8%) and PSAT Math hit 28.4% (state: 33.2%), narrowing the gap to single digits in math. Year-over-year, 8th grade social studies jumped from 14.5% to 29.3%, and 8th grade PSAT math improved by 19.3 points, suggesting real gains in the upper grades.
However, 5th grade experienced a sharp decline across all subjects between 2024-2025 and 2025-2026—ELA fell 12.7 points, science 10.1 points, and social studies 6.3 points—pointing to possible cohort or transition issues. With per-student spending at $14,134 and a 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio, resources are above average, yet outcomes remain far below state norms. The most urgent lever is attendance: nearly two-thirds of students miss significant instructional time, which likely drives much of the achievement gap. For parents, the takeaway is that while early grades need substantial support, the 8th grade results—especially in PSAT—offer a hopeful sign that sustained engagement can produce meaningful progress.
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