Summary:
The Lincoln Consolidated School District in Ypsilanti, Michigan, serves roughly 3,122 students across six schools—three elementary schools (Brick Elementary School, Childs Elementary School, and Bishop Elementary School), one middle school, one high school, and one virtual academy—with a district-wide 1-star rating and a predominantly low-income student population.
If you're comparing schools, Lincoln Senior High School is the clear standout. It outperforms the district average on every academic metric, including an 80% graduation rate versus the district's 72.3%, and it's showing positive momentum with its percentile ranking jumping from the 24th to the 35th percentile in one year. At the elementary level, Childs Elementary School deserves attention for its exceptional 4th grade cohort—46.3% proficiency in English Language Arts and 35.8% in Math, both far exceeding district averages and approaching state levels. However, LCS Virtual Academy is a significant concern, with a 60.8% graduation rate, a 30.4% dropout rate (over four times the state average), and test scores running 10-25 points below district averages across all subjects.
Several patterns emerge across the district. Math proficiency declines sharply as students advance—from roughly 17-24% in elementary grades down to just 12.8% on SAT Math by 11th grade, less than half the state average. Chronic absenteeism is a major issue, ranging from 22.1% at Lincoln Middle School to a troubling 41.2% at Brick Elementary School, which also posts some of the district's lowest proficiency rates. Social Studies is a hidden weakness, with elementary proficiency rates of just 8.1%-14% versus the state's 27.5%. Year-over-year swings of nearly 20 points at some elementary schools suggest small class sizes skew results, so look at multi-year trends rather than single-year snapshots. Notably, the high school outperforms its feeder schools despite their struggles, and it's improving across every subject—suggesting that while the district faces real challenges, targeted interventions at the secondary level may be gaining traction.
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