Summary:
The Flint School District of the City of serves approximately 2,390 students across 10 schools in Flint, Michigan, including six elementary schools, one middle school, and three high schools, and faces significant challenges with a statewide ranking in the 2nd percentile.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that while the district overall struggles with test scores and attendance, there are a few schools showing relative promise. Eisenhower School stands out as the strongest elementary option, with the highest state percentile ranking (22nd), the lowest chronic absenteeism rate among elementary schools (63.8%), and the best student-teacher ratio (14.6:1). It achieves roughly 20% proficiency in 4th grade ELA and Math—nearly three times the district average. DoyleRyder School is another bright spot, showing significant year-over-year improvement in 6th grade ELA (from 9.1% to 24%) despite having the worst student-teacher ratio in the district at 41.4:1. At the high school level, Southwestern Classical Academy is the clear leader with a 70.5% graduation rate compared to the district average of 52.3%, though it still struggles with a 90.7% chronic absenteeism rate.
The district-wide crisis is most evident in chronic absenteeism, with 73.7% of students chronically absent versus 27.9% statewide—meaning nearly three-quarters of students miss significant school time. Test scores are dramatically below state averages across all subjects and grade levels; for example, 11th grade SAT reading/writing proficiency is just 11.8% versus 52.1% statewide. The district spends heavily per student (ranging from $9,577 to $33,507), yet higher spending doesn't correlate with better outcomes—Brownell STEM Academy spends the most at $33,507 per student but shows no academic advantage. Alternative schools like Gateway to CollegeMott Community College (12.5% graduation rate) and Accelerated Learning Academy (34.9% graduation rate) face the most severe challenges. The data suggests that addressing absenteeism and providing adequate staffing, as seen at Eisenhower, may be more impactful than simply increasing funding.
Thank you for your feedback!