Summary:
The Detroit Leadership Academy district operates two schools - Detroit Leadership Academy K8 and Detroit Leadership Academy High School. Both schools serve a predominantly low-income student population, with over 97% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.
Based on the available data, neither school in the Detroit Leadership Academy district stands out as a high performer. Both schools have extremely low statewide rankings, with test scores that are significantly below state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2024-2025, only 10.7% of 3rd graders at Detroit Leadership Academy K8 were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state average of 38.9%. Additionally, both schools struggle with high chronic absenteeism rates, with nearly 30% of students chronically absent in the 2023-2024 school year.
The data also reveals concerning graduation and dropout rates at Detroit Leadership Academy High School, with an 82.8% four-year graduation rate and a 7.6% dropout rate. Despite the relatively high spending per student and favorable student-teacher ratios, the schools' academic performance and learning environment suggest that simply increasing funding and resources may not be enough to drive meaningful improvements. Addressing the challenges faced by the Detroit Leadership Academy district will likely require a comprehensive, evidence-based approach that targets the root causes of the schools' underperformance.
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