Summary:
The Westwood Community School District in Michigan contains two elementary schools—Thorne Elementary School and Daly School—serving roughly 768 students in Pre-K through 6th grade across Dearborn Heights and Inkster, with over 92% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch.
If you are comparing the two schools, the most striking difference is that Thorne Elementary School spends more money per student ($20,621 vs. $19,770) and has a better student-teacher ratio (15.3:1 vs. 17.5:1), yet Daly School outperforms it in most academic areas. For example, in 5th grade math, Daly posts a 17.39% proficiency rate versus Thorne's 6.1%, and in 5th grade social studies, Daly hits 25% proficiency—more than triple Thorne's 7.3% and close to the state average. Daly also earned a better recent state ranking (15th percentile vs. Thorne's 1st percentile). However, Thorne is the larger school (593 students vs. 175), which may create different classroom dynamics and challenges. Both schools struggle with English language arts, with proficiency rates in the single digits or teens across most grades—far below state averages that range from roughly 39% to 44%.
Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide emergency: 60.4% of Thorne students and 57.8% of Daly students are chronically absent, more than double the state average of 27.9%. Math proficiency is critically low, with Thorne's 6th grade at just 3.41% proficient. Yet there are bright spots worth noting: Daly's 5th grade cohort is exceptionally strong, and its social studies program approaches state-level performance despite the district ranking in the bottom 3% of Michigan. For parents, the takeaway is that Daly School appears to offer more academic traction per dollar, while Thorne Elementary School provides a smaller student-teacher ratio but faces steeper performance declines. Both schools need aggressive attendance interventions and foundational math support to break the cycle of low achievement.
Thank you for your feedback!