Summary:
Madison-Carver Academy is a single K-8 elementary school in Detroit, MI, serving 343 students as its own standalone district, and it faces severe academic and environmental challenges that place it in the bottom 5% of Michigan schools.
For parents considering this school, the most pressing concern is academic performance. Proficiency rates are dramatically below state averages across every subject and grade level. For example, 4th-grade math proficiency sits at just 5.26% compared to the state's 39.4%, and 8th-grade PSAT ELA proficiency is 40% versus the state's 64.8%. The school's state ranking has declined steadily from the 10th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 5th percentile in 2025-2026. However, there is one notable bright spot: 8th-grade students show relative strength in science (20% proficient) and social studies (26.67% proficient), which, while still below state averages, far exceeds the performance of younger grades. This suggests a potentially effective middle-school teaching team or a particularly motivated cohort.
Beyond test scores, the school faces systemic hurdles. Chronic absenteeism is a crisis, with 46.7% of students missing significant school days—nearly 19 points higher than the state average. This is compounded by a very high student-teacher ratio of 31.1, limiting individualized attention. The student body is also highly impacted by poverty, with 86% eligible for free/reduced lunch. Despite spending a substantial $16,296 per student, outcomes remain critically low, indicating that funding alone isn't solving the problem. Additionally, math proficiency drops sharply between 3rd and 4th grade (from 12.1% to 5.26%), a pattern seen in consecutive years, pointing to a possible curriculum or instruction transition issue. The overall trajectory is worsening, meaning current interventions are not reversing the trend, and a significant strategic overhaul is likely necessary to improve outcomes for students at Madison-Carver Academy.
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