Summary:
The Lincoln-King Adams-Young Academy district contains a single middle school, LincolnKing AdamsYoung 68, serving grades 6-8 in Detroit, MI, with 429 students and a 90% poverty rate.
This school faces severe challenges that parents should understand. The student-teacher ratio is an extraordinary 53.6 students per teacher—roughly three to four times the recommended level—meaning students receive very little individualized attention. Chronic absenteeism affects 53% of students, nearly double the state rate, which compounds learning gaps. Academically, proficiency rates are critically low across all subjects: 7th grade math proficiency is just 4.5%, 8th grade PSAT math is 6.3%, and 6th grade ELA is 10.9%. These scores place the school in the bottom 8% statewide, with a 0-star rating. The school's state ranking has declined from the 12th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 8th percentile in 2025-2026, though there are small signs of improvement in 8th grade social studies (25% proficiency, up from 15.7%) and 8th grade PSAT math (6.3%, up from 2.17%).
Despite spending $13,069 per student—above average—outcomes remain persistently low, indicating that funding alone cannot overcome the combination of extreme poverty, high absenteeism, and inadequate staffing. The school shows relative strength in social studies and 8th grade reading (35.7% PSAT ELA proficiency), suggesting some literacy skills are comparatively stronger than math. However, with roughly 95% of students failing to meet math standards, foundational math instruction is a critical weakness. Parents should know that the district and school performance are identical since this is the only tested school in the district. Urgent intervention is needed around staffing levels, attendance initiatives, and targeted math support to break the cycle of low achievement.
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