Fortis Academy

Fortis Academy is a single K-8 school in Ypsilanti, Michigan, serving 681 students as its own district, with 89% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

Fortis Academy has faced a challenging few years, dropping from the 33rd percentile statewide in 2023-2024 to the 26th percentile in both 2024-2025 and 2025-2026. The school’s biggest academic weakness is math, where proficiency rates are critically low—only 14.3% of 5th graders and 21.2% of 8th graders met state standards, compared to state averages of 32.2% and 33.2%, respectively. Reading scores are somewhat better but still trail the state, with the gap widening from 3rd grade (-9.8 points) to 5th grade (-18.1 points). However, there is a bright spot: 7th graders outperformed the state in English language arts (41.7% vs. 38.4%), and that same grade showed dramatic year-over-year gains in both ELA (+13.7 points) and math (+9.6 points). This suggests that interventions in the middle school years may be starting to work.

Chronic absenteeism is a major concern, with 37.6% of students missing significant school time—nearly 10 points above the state average. The school spends $14,447 per student, which is above typical Michigan levels, yet results remain below average, raising questions about how funds are being used. Social studies is a relative strength in 8th grade (40.9% proficiency, just 9.4 points behind the state), but PSAT scores in 8th grade indicate only 21.2% of students are ready for high school math. For parents, the key takeaway is that Fortis Academy has notable pockets of success—especially in 7th grade—but faces systemic challenges in math and attendance that will require focused, sustained effort to overcome.