Summary:
Madison-Carver Academy is the sole elementary school in the Madison-Carver Academy district, serving grades K-8 in Detroit, MI, with 343 students and a predominantly low-income population (86% free/reduced lunch).
For parents considering Madison-Carver Academy, the most critical takeaway is that academic proficiency is critically low across every subject and grade level, with the school ranking in the bottom 6th percentile of Michigan districts. In the 2025-2026 school year, proficiency rates trail state averages by 25 to 34 percentage points in most areas. For example, only 5.26% of 4th graders are proficient in math (state: 39.4%), and just 10.6% of 3rd graders meet ELA standards (state: 38.2%). Even the school's strongest result—8th grade PSAT ELA at 40%—falls nearly 25 points below the state average. Scores have also declined year-over-year in nearly every subject, including 3rd grade ELA dropping from 13.8% to 10.6% and 5th grade science falling from 11.3% to 8.93%.
There are a few notable bright spots. Chronic absenteeism improved dramatically from 46.7% in 2023-2024 to 27.9% in 2024-2025, suggesting recent interventions may be helping. Additionally, there is a clear upward trend in upper grades—ELA proficiency rises from 10.6% in 3rd grade to 20% in 7th grade, and 8th graders perform markedly better across all subjects. However, the school faces severe resource strain with a 31.1:1 student-teacher ratio, and despite spending $16,296 per student, outcomes remain poor. This suggests funding alone isn't solving the problem. Parents should understand that while the school serves a vulnerable population facing significant socioeconomic challenges, the consistent academic declines and bottom-tier ranking indicate a school in crisis that likely requires targeted support in attendance, instruction, and student services to reverse its trajectory.
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